Wanted Korean criminal arrested in Hanoi The Criminal Police of Vietnam in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea (RoK) are completing procedures to transfer a wanted criminal to the RoK police. Wanted Korean criminal Kim Jin Ki Kim Jin Ki, 66, has been hunted for fraudulent behaviour in the RoK after stealing an amount totaling KRW150 billion, equivalent to over US$122 million. According to the Korean police, after being discovered in his homeland, the criminal entered Vietnam in 2020. While in Vietnam, Kim constantly changed his places of residence in a bid to conceal his whereabouts. However, he was arrested in an apartment in Me Tri ward of Nam Tu Liem district on March 27. General Assembly Democrats, responding to a judges order, unveiled a new map of Marylands eight U.S. House districts on Monday night that, among other changes, redraws the district of Rep. Andy Harris, the states lone Republican congressman whom Democrats have lined up to challenge. The map comes three days after a judge said the initial boundaries substantially disadvantaged Republican candidates and voters. Advertisement Facing a Wednesday deadline, the Democrats hurriedly drew new boundaries that they said reflects the requirements stated by the judge, Lynne A. Battaglia, in a pair of Anne Arundel Circuit Court cases brought by GOP lawmakers and voters. interactive_content The new map changes the district of Harris in a way that could help the Republican in elections. His district, which includes the Eastern Shore, would no longer extend into an area with more Democrat voters. Some other districts also appear more compact. Advertisement The state also was seriously considering an appeal of Battaglias order, said the two sources, who requested anonymity because no final decision had been announced early Monday evening. In her 94-page order, Battaglia said she agreed with expert witness testimony that Republican voters and candidates would be substantially adversely impacted by the 2021 plan. The Democrats replacement map was introduced Monday night in the state Senate and was to be discussed during a joint hearing Tuesday morning of designated House and Senate members. In unveiling the map, Senate Democrats approved a measure allowing it to be introduced so late in the legislative session. GOP Sen. Justin Ready of Carroll County objected, saying: Were discussing introducing a map that nobody has seen except for a few people. But Democrats easily prevailed in the vote. Earlier Monday, House Republicans unsuccessfully asked the General Assembly to instead use a map drawn last year by an independent commission organized by Gov. Larry Hogan. Last year, the Republican governor appointed the panel of Republicans, Democrats and independents to draw an alternate set of proposed electoral maps, which the governor submitted to the legislature. Advertisement The Democratic-controlled legislature rejected that map, but the House Republican Caucus, in a letter to General Assembly leaders, noted that it remained available. The map already exists in bill format. This should have been the plan the General Assembly adopted to begin with, but, as Nelson Mandela used to say, It is never too late to do the right thing, the letter said. The Republican-backed map was not used by Democratic leaders. The states final map, which requires the judges approval, could help determine the outcome of one or more of the states congressional races. On March 25, the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court invalidated the congressional district map (Chap. 32 of 2022/HB1) enacted on December 9, 2021. The court directed the General Assembly to enact a new map before a March 30th deadline. Accordingly, the map above was introduced on March 28 for consideration by the General Assembly. Under the original, General Assembly-approved district lines, the district of Harris a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus and Marylands only Republican in Congress would have no longer included Harris Cockeysville neighborhood or other conservative-leaning northern Baltimore suburbs to the west of Interstate 95. It would have been extended to pull in portions of Anne Arundel County, where voters are more likely to back Democrats. But the Democrats replacement map would not jump the district across the Bay Bridge into Anne Arundel County. That tweak could be welcome news for Harris. The lawmaker, whose 1st Congressional District seat has attracted a few well-funded Democrats in the July 19 primary, is seeking his seventh term after pledging a decade ago that he would serve no more than six terms if elected. Advertisement In her order, the judge specifically referenced the district Democrats created for Harris. The judge noted that the changes meant the Republicans Baltimore County home would have been shifted from his current district to one represented by U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, a Baltimore Democrat. Maryland Policy & Politics Weekdays Keep up to date with Maryland politics, elections and important decisions made by federal, state and local government officials. > Email messages to Harris congressional office and campaign Monday afternoon were not answered. In her order on Friday, Battaglia said the original map violated the state constitutional requirement that legislative districts consist of adjoining territory and be compact in form, with due regard for natural boundaries and political subdivisions. It also violated the state constitutions free elections, free speech and equal protection clauses, she said. The judge sent the map back to the legislature to develop a new plan by Wednesday, and scheduled a Friday hearing to review it in court. Nationally, Marylands was the first congressional map drawn by Democrats to be struck down this redistricting cycle. Advertisement Other courts have overturned maps found to be GOP gerrymanders in North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, infuriating Republicans and leading conservatives to push for the U.S. Supreme Court to limit the power of state courts to intervene against maps drawn by state legislatures. Baltimore Sun reporter Bryn Stole and The Associated Press contributed to this report Maryland lawmakers who produced the first congressional map drawn by Democrats to be struck down this redistricting cycle will vote on a new map this week, leading lawmakers announced Monday. Democrats went back to the drawing board over the weekend after Judge Lynne Battaglia ruled Friday that the map lawmakers approved in December is a product of extreme partisan gerrymandering. Advertisement The legislation with the new map will get a hearing Tuesday morning before lawmakers. It was not immediately clear Monday afternoon whether lawmakers also would appeal her decision. This legislation is contingent on the loss of an appeal and is expected to be on the governors desk this week, Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones said Monday in a news release. However, we worked expeditiously to ensure that the redistricting process was not further delayed and that the map presented reflects the new requirements as set forth by Judge Battaglia. Advertisement Battaglia said the map violated the state constitutional requirement that legislative districts consist of adjoining territory and be compact in form, with due regard for natural boundaries and political subdivisions. It also violated the state constitutions free elections, free speech and equal protection clauses, she said. Maryland Policy & Politics Weekdays Keep up to date with Maryland politics, elections and important decisions made by federal, state and local government officials. > The judge sent the map back to the legislature to develop a new plan by Wednesday, and scheduled a Friday hearing to review it in court. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in Maryland, yet Democrats hold a 7-1 advantage over Republicans in the states U.S. House delegation. Opponents of the map approved in December said it made the states lone Republican, Rep. Andy Harris, vulnerable. Other courts have overturned maps found to be GOP gerrymanders in North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, infuriating Republicans and leading conservatives to push for the U.S. Supreme Court to limit the power of state courts to intervene against maps drawn by state legislatures. The initial map was approved late last year by a panel mostly of state lawmakers, including four Democrats and two Republicans, and approved by the General Assembly. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed it, but the Democrats who control the legislature overrode his veto. GOP lawmakers then filed a lawsuit. Hogan, a rare two-term Republican in a heavily Democratic state during a redistricting year, praised the judges ruling. He had issued an executive order creating a separate redistricting panel comprised of a Republican, a Democrat and an independent who chose other panelists. Hogan says their map was created with more transparency by citizens rather than politicians, but Democrats havent allowed a vote on it. Earlier this month, the states highest court moved the states primary by three weeks due to the redistricting lawsuits, from June 28 to July 19. Marylands state legislative map also is being challenged. The delay comes in a big election year in Maryland, where voters will decide all 188 seats in the state legislature, open statewide offices such as governor, attorney general and comptroller, a U.S. Senate seat and all eight congressional seats. The long campaign to create a Maryland paid family and medical leave program for nearly all workers has won considerable support in the Democrat-controlled General Assembly, bringing the state closer to a goal of creating a new social insurance benefit. Top leadership in both chambers support it and legislation creating such a benefit recently passed both the Senate and the House of Delegates with wide majorities. Advertisement Yet the prospects of a paid family and medical leave plan making it into law remain uncertain, despite Senate President Bill Fergusons vow last month that it is going to pass this year. Major unresolved differences remain among Democratic lawmakers over how quickly to set up the multibillion-dollar program, how much to charge private-sector companies and workers, how generous to make benefits and exactly who will be eligible for leave. Advertisement And thats before considering its chances of making it across Gov. Larry Hogans desk. The Republican governor hasnt threatened a veto directly, but a spokesman said the governor will not consider costly proposals that hurt the smallest businesses, especially the mom-and-pop establishments. A Hogan veto would make passing a paid leave program harder, despite wide Democratic majorities in the General Assembly. Still, it passed the Senate with enough votes (31 to 15) to override the governor unless it loses support. Alternately, a veto offers Democrats a key campaign issue heading into this falls election to replace the term-limited governor. Most of the Democrats running for governor including all the leading candidates signed a joint letter last week urging lawmakers to pass paid leave this year and promising to effectively administer the program if elected. Differing paths to similar destination with many unknowns The insurance program would allow workers to take time off to care for ailing relatives, spend time with a newborn baby or deal with their own serious health issues while still receiving at least a portion of their previous earnings. Creating such a plan has been a top priority for a number of progressive and family advocacy groups and a major concern for business groups worried about the potential costs and difficulty of replacing skilled workers on leave. The House backed legislation setting a nonbinding June 2024 date to start paying benefit claims from the program but leaves sorting out all the details about benefits, eligibility and contribution rates until next year after a study commission can dig into the topic. Senators, meanwhile, voted to create a program that would offer workers up to 12 weeks of paid leave each year or, for those juggling both serious family health crises and a newborn baby, a total of 24 weeks starting at the beginning of 2025. Pandemic echoes trigger a warning from a friend We want to make sure we get this right because this is very important, House Economic Matters Chair C.T. Wilson, whos sponsored paid leave proposals for several years, said before rewriting his legislation to study the details instead of creating the program. Advertisement Wilson said he had concerns that the pandemic had upended the economy too much to accurately forecast how the program would work, and that taking too much of the cost directly out of workers paychecks could prove not only challenging for families but also unpopular. Its not feasible, Wilson told colleagues. Im afraid that the system itself would fail. Others say its past time to act. Paid leave has been overstudied, over-analyzed and, at the end of the day, has overwhelming support from Maryland working families, said Sen. Antonio Hayes, a Baltimore Democrat. To study it once more, I think, would be an exercise in futility. Hayes said several past studies, including a legislative commission in 2017, as well as data from states with paid leave programs, provide plenty of data to launch the program. And Hayes said the Senate-passed framework which allows state officials to annually adjust a contribution rate offers flexibility. Under a bill from Hayes and Sen. Joanne C. Benson of Prince Georges County, an actuarial study to forecast potential claims and payroll contributions would guide the program as it starts collecting money after June 1, 2023. The first benefits would start a year later. Advertisement What to include? And for whom? Just how comprehensive and mandatory to make the program whether every worker at a private-sector business would be required to participate or to allow small businesses to opt out has been a simmering debate in Maryland and in the nine states that already have enacted paid leave programs. Another key point of debate is over whether, or how, to split contributions between companies and employees. The Senate-passed proposal in Maryland originally would have split the cost evenly, but was amended to put more of the cost 75% directly on workers, with employers chipping in the rest. Every company would be required to participate, while freelancers and other self-employed workers could choose to opt in. The benefits would pay a percentage of a workers wages while theyre on leave, with the exact amount tied to a workers average previous earnings. Benefits would be capped at $1,000 a week. Wilson said he doesnt believe that is a viable split and suggested stalled negotiations over putting more of the cost on businesses influenced his decision to favor another study. Costs/benefits by the numbers Business groups like the Maryland Chamber of Commerce expressed concern over shouldering new taxes; worker advocates say putting too much of the price on workers would make the program unfair and unaffordable. Most economists argue workers end up paying the full cost regardless, either directly or gradually in the form of lower wages. Mandating larger contributions on the pay stubs of workers also could dent the programs political popularity. Advertisement For a Maryland worker earning $52,000 a year, or $1,000 per week, contributions to the paid leave program would cost no more than $5.63 each week (although backers hope the actual rate would be well below a 0.75% max rate). The workers employer would pay at most another $1.88 weekly. Republican critics have raised concerns about the uncertainty of the actual rate and say the program could have unanticipated costs. They also foresee an unexpected flood of claims. Cart before the horse? A paid leave program in Washington state has run short of cash to pay benefits and needed an infusion of state money earlier this month, a potential cautionary tale to critics of Marylands proposal. The Washington program, however, has several key differences, including a lower initial cap on payroll taxes to fund it. Still, some critics have suggested Marylands proposal puts the cart before the horse, creating a major new benefit program without a precise idea of how many workers might claim leave or how much its going to cost. This is a massive government program, said Andrew Griffin of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. Youve got to make the most informed decision you can make. Advertisement Griffin said the chamber doesnt necessarily oppose a paid leave program, but is uncomfortable with uncertainty around the programs financials and doesnt support having businesses pay part of the cost. Its a tough pill for people to swallow right now, businesses and workers, Griffin said. Success seen elsewhere Proponents have pointed to other states for successful examples, including Californias first-in-the-nation program, which launched 20 years ago and has been expanded several times. Neighboring New Jersey and D.C. both have paid leave programs and Delaware appears poised to create one in the coming weeks. Maryland Policy & Politics Weekdays Keep up to date with Maryland politics, elections and important decisions made by federal, state and local government officials. > Research on existing programs, especially Californias, has shown that more women tend to remain in the workforce when they can access parental leave, and that businesses have tended to be more satisfied with the programs than feared, said Kathleen Romig, who studies the issue for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning D.C.-based advocacy group that supports paid leave programs. Romig said that broad statewide programs also can benefit small businesses and the self-employed by making the cost much easier to bear. A company with just three or four employees might struggle to keep paying workers who take off, Romig said, but could make it work more easily with a state fund picking up the tab. The payroll cost, however, isnt the only aspect of a paid leave proposal that worries some business owners. Several pointed to the potential blow of losing difficult-to-replace employees for lengthy stretches. Advertisement Concern over loss of key workers Autoshop owner Bruce Spencer told lawmakers in February that a new payroll tax would be a relatively minimal expense for him. The bigger concern, Spencer said, is keeping the shop running without one of his experienced mechanics. We have four technicians, Spencer said of his Severn shop, Walt Egers Service Center. If one or two of them were out for 12 weeks or more that is revenue we cant bill. Paid leave supporters say those challenges will be outweighed by the programs broader benefits. Workers who might otherwise quit jobs to care for newborns or dying parents may opt to remain in the labor force. National policy forum on vocational training for youth to be held on March 30 A national policy forum for youth will be held on March 30 on the theme of vocational training, the organisers announced at a press briefing on March 28. Illustrative image. (Photo: doanthanhnien.vn) The forum is jointly organised by the National Assemblys Committee on Culture, Education, Adolescents and Youth (CCEAY), the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the National Committee on Youth of Vietnam. Ta Van Ha, deputy head of the CCEAY said that the event aims to improve the awareness of the young people and society about vocational training policies. It will offer an opportunity for young people to share their aspirations and recommendations relating to vocational training to meet the current periods requirements. Information collected at the forum will serve as reference for the CCEAY and other NAs agencies in proposing policies on vocational training for youth to the NA and Government, he said. It is expected to draw the participation of representatives from the Government, NA agencies, ministries and central agencies; leaders of provinces and centrally-run cities, youth organisations; young NA deputies, experts, scientists; and representatives of businesses, vocational training institutions and international organisations. Key issues to be tabled at the forum include guidelines and policies of the Party and State on vocational training for young people, vocational training for rural youth disabled, ethnic minority youth, demobilised soldiers and students. Policies and recommendations on vocational training for young people in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fourth industrial revolution and other related issues will be high on the agenda. After receiving criticism in recent years for a lack of environmental action, Maryland lawmakers are poised to pass bills to promote private investment in conservation projects, ban use of a dangerous class of chemicals and hire more inspectors to enforce state environmental laws. Legislators and advocacy groups attributed the action to a handful of factors. For starters: With primary elections scheduled for July, the Democratic majorities in each chamber of the General Assembly are eager to improve scathing marks on the Maryland League of Conservation Voters scorecards from the past two years. Advertisement Plus, an unprecedented $7.5 billion state budget surplus means there is less hesitation to commit to new spending, including millions of dollars a year in new salaries for more inspectors. Assembly budget committee leaders say that while they are largely directing the surplus toward one-time expenses, the state can afford to add such new positions in the long run. Other legislative moves respond to pressing concerns in the environmental community including the removal of the Patuxent Riverkeeper from the Patuxent River Commission and repeated pollution concerns at an Eastern Shore plant. Advertisement Gulls looking for an easy meal fill the sky above Valley Proteins in Linkwood in Dorchester County in February. The operator of the Eastern Shore plant that processes poultry carcasses for animal feed is the target of two new lawsuits seeking to stop it from polluting the Chesapeake Bay. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun) The most significant piece of environmental legislation in this years 90-day General Assembly session remains to be settled. Debate is expected to resume this week on legislation known as the Climate Solutions Now Act, which would dramatically accelerate efforts around the state to curtail use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Democrats have vowed to pass the bill, though a potential veto by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan looms. Whether that legislation passes, and in what form, could largely color how advocates view progress on environmental initiatives in 2022, said Robin Clark, a Maryland staff attorney with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Nevertheless, the list of bills advancing this legislative session suggests lawmakers will be taking more action on the environment than in recent years. Weve got things moving from chamber to chamber in a pretty strong form, Clark said. In many cases, companion bills filed in the House of Delegates and Senate have come out of their originating chambers with minimal differences, suggesting they do not face major hurdles to final passage. To reach Hogans desk, any of those bills must pass the opposing chamber and then lawmakers in both the House of Delegates and Senate must agree on any amendments. I dont see any deal-killers in any of them, said Sen. Paul Pinsky, a Prince Georges County Democrat and chairman of the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. Here are some of the proposals environmentalists are watching: Increasing environmental enforcement Bills passed in both chambers would limit administrative extensions to water discharge permits by the Maryland Department of the Environment and require more inspections of such permit holders. The legislation includes $22.8 million for 220 new positions and 142 new vehicles in fiscal 2023, and at least $15.8 million in expenses in future years, according to nonpartisan budget analysts. Advertisement The measure was largely inspired by the case of a Valley Proteins Inc. plant in Dorchester County that renders poultry carcasses into animal feed. The facilitys water permit expired in 2006 and had been repeatedly extended until last year, when environmental groups drew attention to illegal pollution discharges there. Valley Proteins now faces lawsuits from Maryland regulators and environmental groups. But advocates say the plant is just one example of a troubling larger trend that the legislation aims to address. Inspection and enforcement activity by state environmental regulators have declined dramatically in recent years. Were talking about turning around troubling trends over the past decades, Clark said. Prohibiting PFAS chemicals The House and Senate have both passed proposals to significantly restrict manufacturing and use of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS or forever chemicals. The substances are found in stain-repellent fabrics, nonstick cookware, food packaging, cleaning products and firefighting foams, and exposure can cause them to build up in human and animal tissue. Studies have shown they may be linked to adverse health outcomes, including decreased fertility, low birth weight, immune system impairment, increased cholesterol and obesity, and hormone interference. The General Assembly previously voted to ban use of the chemicals in firefighting foams at firefighting training facilities, but legislation to restrict PFAS beyond that did not advance in 2021. Advertisement It was a remote session. It was tough to do anything last year, said Emily Scarr, state director of Maryland PIRG, which is leading the push for PFAS legislation this year. This year, lawmakers have been more receptive. The bills advancing this session would impose a broader ban on use of PFAS in firefighting foams, as well as banning their use in paper products for food packaging and in rugs and carpets. Promoting investment in conservation Another bill that failed to advance in 2021 but appears likely to pass this year aims to stimulate private investment in projects that improve water and air quality, and better prepare the state for storms, floods and other environmental hazards. The Conservation Finance Act would create more avenues for the state to hire private companies for projects like wetland and stream restoration. It would also allow state agencies to pay contractors for such projects based on the environmental benefits they actually achieve. Nonpartisan state analysts said the legislation could significantly expand opportunities for private investment in state environmental projects. Sen. Sarah Elfreth, an Anne Arundel County Democrat sponsoring the legislation, said lawmakers on the House and Senate side have worked together closely to ensure they can agree on any amendments tacked on to the bills. Reshaping Patuxent River Commission When Patuxent Riverkeeper Fred Tutman learned last year that he had not been reappointed to the Patuxent River Commission, he and many supporters saw it as a move to muzzle him from raising concerns about the impact of development on what is the longest river entirely within Marylands borders. Advertisement The commission was established in 1980, in the early days of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup movement. And while it doesnt carry any explicit powers, it is seen as a trusted and prominent voice in continued efforts to restore the health of the Chesapeake and its tributaries. Legislation to reappoint Tutman to the commission, and make other changes to its membership, overwhelmingly passed both chambers. Senators voted unanimously, while the House vote was 137-1. The bodys makeup would look slightly different under the House and Senates versions of the bill. Del. Kumar Barve, a Montgomery County Democrat and chairman of the House Environment and Transportation Committee, said he expects lawmakers to reconcile the differences. A month after running aground outside the shipping channel, the Ever Forward container ship remains mired in the bay mud. Cranes are now removing containers in order to lighten the load in the latest effort to free the ship. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun) The phone at Downs Park, a beach in Pasadena on the Chesapeake Bay, has rung several times a day for the past two weeks with people asking the same question: Is the ship still there? Can we come see it? The ship, a 1,095-foot cargo carrier called the Ever Forward with more than 4,000 full shipping containers aboard, is still there just as it has been since March 13, when it missed a turn on its way from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia, exited the 50-foot deep Craighill Channel and barged into shallower waters, lodging itself in more than a dozen feet of mud. Thats where it still sits, stuck. Advertisement It is the largest ship to have ever run aground in the Chesapeake Bay, and freeing it is an arduous and cumbersome process. The crews 27 members remain on board as two dredges including the largest clamshell dredge in the Western Hemisphere work to dig up mud around the hull before authorities lighten the vessel and then, hopefully, pull it out with a fleet of tugboats. The first attempt to refloat the ship will begin at noon Tuesday, but it could be a week or more before refloating efforts are successful. Advertisement In the meantime, droves of interested onlookers have paid the daily fee of six dollars to enter Downs Park, the best place to get a glimpse of the immobile ship. Compared to last March a busy one in its own right there has been an 8% increase in park visitors this month, and park superintendent Nolley Fisher said it could wind up being their busiest March on record as people continue to flock, bemused by the colossal curiosity. Its just a ship sitting there, Fisher said, but, hey, people wanna see it. I know people wanna see it move, as well. A dredge barge is moved into place to take on more sediment as dredges work to free the grounded Ever Forward container ship after it ran aground outside the shipping channel a few weeks ago. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun) Incredibly big and incredibly stuck Refloating grounded ships is typically a difficult process, and in the case of the Ever Forward it is especially challenging. Built in 2020 and sailing under the Hong Kong flag, the Ever Forward was traveling from the Port of Baltimore to Norfolk on the evening of Sunday, March 13, when, at a speed of 13 knots, it did not turn south with the Craighill Channel and instead plowed into a shallow area outside the channel. The ship, which requires a depth of at least 42 feet to safely navigate, entered water that is only 24 feet deep, submerging itself in up to 18 feet of mud. She is sitting, resting on the bottom, U.S. Coast Guard Captain David OConnell, the sector commander, said last week, and basically when she came to rest, she tunneled into the mud and silt, so shes about 15 feet or so into the mud. The reason for the grounding is unknown and it likely will be for a long while but OConnell named four categories of potential causes: mechanical failure, operational failure, environmental factors (like weather) or human error. A couple of large, 700-to-800-foot long vessels have been stuck in the Chesapeake for multiple days, but were freed within about a week in recent decades. The most notorious grounding in the bay came in 1950, though, when the Missouri, an 888-foot Navy battleship, was stuck on a shoal off the Norfolk Naval Station for 15 days, leading to a challenging salvage. Advertisement During one rescue attempt, 13 tugboats, two salvage ships and nine rigs pulled on the boat while her skipper paced the deck in silence, per a Sun article from the time. It didnt budge. There was another effort the next evening, in the fog, and several other watercraft were themselves grounded in the process. Finally, the following day, after more than two weeks, the warship known as Mighty Mo was freed. Dredging, lightering and tugging Container ships as massive as the Ever Forward are relatively new to Baltimore and the upper reaches on the bay. Long common in the Pacific trade, such ships started making their way from Asia to the U.S. East Coast after the Panama Canal was expanded in 2016. We are seeing a trend towards these larger and larger ships, said Pete Lesher, curator at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Throw in supply chain problems that have backed up West Coast ports, and massive ships have begun calling more often at ports like Baltimore. Ever Forward is owned by the same Taiwanese company, Evergreen Marine Corp., as the Ever Given the even-larger ship that became wedged in the Suez Canal a year ago, choking off a busy, vital passage for global trade, disrupting the international supply chain and grabbing headlines. That ship was freed in six days, but the Ever Forward has been stuck for two weeks and counting for a few reasons: The Ever Forward is more completely lodged into mud, there is less urgency since it isnt blocking the channel, and there are fewer salvage resources available than in the Suez. Advertisement Donjon Smit, the ships salvor, has developed a plan that was approved by Marylands Board of Public Works as an emergency license, and it is working alongside the Coast Guard and the Maryland Department of the Environment on rescue efforts. The plan, obtained through a Maryland Public Information Act request, permits the salvor to mechanically dredge an area of 349,427 square feet to a depth of 40 feet at mean low water. The muck more than 110,000 cubic yards of it, which can fill about 33 Olympic-sized swimming pools will then be deposited at Poplar Island, a restored wildlife habitat built with dredged material about 20 miles south of the ship. More than a dozen vessels have assisted in the dredging process, which involves scooping out mud from the bay bottom around the Ever Forward. One of two dredges on scene, the Dale Pyatt, is the largest clamshell dredge in the western hemisphere and can scoop 60 cubic yards in its bucket. Despite its superlative size, though, the Dale Pyatt isnt as efficient as the dredges that helped free the Ever Given in the Suez Canal. Those were suction dredges, which can break up rock and act almost like underwater vacuums, sucking up muck much quicker than a clamshell dredge, which acts more like a shovel. They are thimbles compared to what a suction dredge can do, said Sal Mercogliano, a professor of maritime history at Campbell University in North Carolina. Dredging has continued bucket by big bucket for more than a week, and the hope is to, beginning at noon Tuesday, pull the ship back into the 50-foot deep waters of the channel. William Doyle, the Port of Baltimores executive director, said Sunday that the first refloating attempt will use five tugboats. Advertisement Should that attempt be unsuccessful, authorities will dredge more, lighten the ship by removing ballast and fuel, and try to pull it out again on April 3 or 4. Refloating efforts may try to capitalize on the daily high tide, which offers a few more inches of water depth. Mercogliano even suggested waiting a couple of weeks, when a full moon will lead to a higher tide. Their best chance is with the spring tide in mid-April, about on April 18, he said. Potential for impact on shipping Tracy Alloway wanted to boil chicken and vegetables Thursday night in her and her husbands new apartment in New York City but ran into a problem. Her pots and pans, along with almost all of her belongings, are stuck on the Ever Forward. Alloway, a Bloomberg reporter, moved from Hong Kong to New York in early February. Save for a few pieces of luggage they flew with, she and her husband packed their entire apartment, including furniture and the bulk of their clothes, and shipped it to the U.S. It should have arrived by now, but instead its sitting in the bay off Anne Arundel County while they sit on chairs theyve purchased to temporarily furnish their sparse Manhattan apartment. It would be very nice, at this point, to be able to sit on a couch and watch TV, she said. Advertisement But outside of those who, like Alloway, have belongings on the Ever Forward, the ship has had little impact on the global supply chain. Unlike the Ever Given blocking the Suez Canal, the Ever Forward has not stopped shipping traffic. There is now only one-way traffic for larger ships near the Ever Forward, but otherwise, impact on shipping has been minimal. The channel will, however, be closed for several hours Tuesday during the refloating attempt, and if that try is unsuccessful, many of the ships truck-sized containers may need to be removed. Thats kind of the last thing we want to do, OConnell said. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Container removal would necessitate a massive crane on a separate boat next to the Ever Forward, methodically picking up each container and placing it on a barge or other ship. For that to be done safely, OConnell said they would close the channel to traffic to prevent wakes from passing ships. The goal is to avoid, to minimize any impacts to the marine transportation system as possible, OConnell said. Were trying to avoid container removal. Still planning for it, but hoping that that wont be the case. Advertisement The longer the salvage effort takes, the more complicated the process can become. There is the potential for fuel leakage (which authorities are monitoring) as the ships hull sits in mud, rather than floats in water as designed. And should dredging last past April 1, the Board of Public Works recommended that the salvage crew maintain a turbidity curtain an impermeable barrier in the water surrounding the work area. That curtain is recommended from April 1 to June 1 due to migrating fish and from June 1 to Sep. 30 due to potential impacts to a nearby natural oyster bar. Of course, authorities dont expect the project to last into the summer, but Mercogliano said last week that their plan may be overly optimistic. If it does remain stuck for weeks, it could make an impact on shipping traffic and it could mean that Alloway, who only packed winter clothes when she flew back to the U.S. in February, will be without her wardrobe for an extended period of time. I might have to go to the mall for a bit, she said. Preparing for a trip to the bank, Marlon Mayorga, the owner of a small convenience store on Patapsco Avenue in South Baltimore, counted cash in the otherwise empty business early one morning. As he counted, a person in a hoodie and with their face covered entered the front door, turned toward the counter, pulled out a gun and demanded the cash. Advertisement The robbery last month at La Bodeguita in Brooklyn is among 714 robberies recorded in the city so far this year. Thats a 24.6% increase, from 573 at the same time last year, according to latest available data from the Baltimore Police Department. Those incidents include robberies at convenience stores, gas stations and other commercial businesses, as well as carjackings and street robberies. The biggest increase is among convenience stores, where robberies the unlawful taking of property from a person with force or the threat of it have jumped 300%, with more than 80 so far this year. Advertisement Police also have recorded a large increase in robberies they identify as miscellaneous. There have been 268 robberies in that category, compared to 24 at the same time last year a more than tenfold increase. However, the department attributed the surge in that category to its switch to a new reporting system. Officials say they are working to correct that data. The citys robbery numbers are rising even as cases decline in neighboring Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, where police report they are down to 60 and 111 so far this year, respectively, from 75 and 132 in the same period last year. The sheriffs offices in Carroll and Harford counties also have not reported an increase in robberies. Howard County has seen an uptick so far this year, with 24 robberies so far, up from 13 at the same time last year. However, last year was much lower compared to the last five years. In 2019, then-U. S. Attorney General William Barr called Baltimore the countrys robbery capital as he announced the city was among several to receive increased law enforcement resources. But at that point, robberies had been declining steadily since 2017, when the city reported 5,879, according to FBI data. The number dropped to 3,100 by 2020, the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the number increased slightly to 3,400 robberies. The sharp surge upward in the first three months of 2022 has raised concerns. Im not satisfied where we are with robberies, Democratic Mayor Brandon Scott said in an interview Thursday. What we dont want do is give up space where we have had gains. The spike comes as the department battles a stubbornly high rate of violent crime. Already, 76 people have been killed in the city this year, up from 65 at the same point last year. There have been 156 other people injured in shootings, up from 115 at this time last year. The city has reported more than 300 homicides each year since 2015. Advertisement Were concerned about any crime increases, but robberies in particular, said Democratic City Councilman Kristopher Burnett, who serves on the councils public safety committee. No one wants to be the victim of a robbery, but botched robberies have led to violence, too, he said. Its absolutely a concern. In January, DoorDash delivery driver Cheryl McCormack, 51, was shot and killed during what police called a robbery gone bad. Police have arrested and charged two 16-year-old boys. Police are making progress, said Scott, pointing to the departments 34% clearance rate for robberies, which is above the national average of 28%, as well as 32 arrests for carjackings. He and police officials have touted the addition of 12 more license plate readers and improved coordination between a citywide robbery unit, patrol officers and Foxtrot, the citys police helicopter, which have contributed to arrests. We know we have a long way to go, Scott said. Col. Richard Worley, chief of detectives of the departments Criminal Investigation Division, said investigators are working to make arrests. He said officers arrested Saul Jenkins, 45, on Wednesday following a robbery at 7-Eleven at South Broadway and East Lombard Street in Fells Point. Worley said investigators believe the man is connected to up to 10 robberies at other 7-Eleven locations in the city. Advertisement Charging documents were not available, but Worley said the suspect was arrested after a witness called police to report a robbery in progress, and three officers managed to arrest the man at the store. It was outstanding work from the community and by the three officers, Worley said. The defendant pleaded guilty in 2008 to armed robbery and was sentenced to 10 years, court records show. Worley said its common for robbery suspects to hit multiple locations, and people are often connected and charged to multiple incidents that occur over weeks or months. After several recent arrests, he said he believes the number of robberies will level off. Its the same with carjackings, he said. After the city started the year off with a sharp increase in carjackings, the number leveled off after police made several arrests. Robberies have increased across the city, but the Northern district with 132 and Northeast with 92 have seen the most. The Northeast District the citys largest in population and size has seen a 59% increase so far this year. Advertisement The recent trend has been at smaller chain stores, such as 7-Eleven, Family Dollar and Dollar General, Worley said. In addition to cash, Worley said investigators have seen suspects make off with other items, such as cigarettes. Often, Worley said, patrol officers stop suspects at the scene or fleeing from it. Surveillance video, both from the shops and neighbors private security systems, has helped officers identify suspects and make arrests. The National Association of Convenience Stores, which represents 148,000 stores nationwide, including 1,967 in Maryland, did not have updated statistics, but its members are reporting more crime, said Jeff Lenard, a spokesman for the organization. The economy is struggling. That means people are out there struggling and that leads to more crime, and that is what we are hearing from retailers, Lenard said. Some larger businesses are implementing more varied security, including hiring full-time guards, investing in more surveillance video, and other measures to prevent or reduce the risk of loss from robberies and other theft. Rite Aid has used GPS trackers, placed discreetly among cash, to help authorities find suspects, according to court documents in one recent case that resulted in an arrest. Christina Cornell, a spokeswoman for The Home Depot, wouldnt provide specifics on robberies at its three stores in the city. But she said a steep rise in retail theft has caused the national home improvement chain to invest more in investigating and deterring crime at stores. Advertisement Cornell said Home Depot employs investigators who work directly with local law enforcement. Additionally, she said the company is adopting more anti-theft tools, such as point-of-sale activation measures, to deter robberies and thefts. Point-of-sale activation involves digitally unlocking electronic or other powered devices only after a consumer has paid for them. Some longtime mom-and-pop shops in some of the citys more challenged neighborhoods have relied on other measures. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Im in Plexiglas, myself, said Mario Chang, who owns Gera Variety, a liquor store in the Mondawmin neighborhood of West Baltimore. I would love it to be different, but theres a lot more potential there. Its just the area. Chang said such crimes are about opportunity. He believes his store has been largely protected, even during unrest after the death of Freddie Gray, who died in 2015 from injuries sustained in police custody. While many businesses were looted, damaged or destroyed, Chang said his was untouched, which he attributed to his shops reputation in the community. Chang, who is also president of the KAGRO of Maryland, a group of Korean American retailers, said corporate stores often dont have the same challenges. He sees the crimes there as less personal, and notes the stores can reopen more quickly. For smaller businesses, a robbery can be devastating. Mayorga said he doesnt have the resources to invest in heavy security. Advertisement The gunman who robbed his store made off with a large amount of cash for the small, neighborhood shop Mayorga opened a year ago with his family. The shop mostly sells inexpensive items, like cold drinks and snacks. Most of the money was for Maxi, a money transfer company, which Mayorga said hes now responsible for. When asked if hes concerned for his safety, he said, a little, but for now, hes more concerned about figuring out how to pay back the stolen money. The former Velma Branch, one of the senior teachers engaged in Project Hope, helps her 4 year-olds to learn their names in printed form in 1965. (Richard Stacks/Baltimore Sun) Velma B. Evans, a longtime Baltimore City Public Schools educator who also was an associate professor of education at Delaware State University, died of complications from dementia March 14 at Arden Courts of Pikesville. The Northwest Baltimore resident was 96. Velma was my grandfathers youngest sister, and she was an inspiration to our entire family. She was the matriarch, said Dr. Joseph Amprey, a physician who lives in Potomac. She was one of the first people in our family to go to college, and she achieved academically. All of the kids in our family had a great relationship with her. She helped take care of us financially and encouraged our development. Advertisement The former Velma Branch, daughter of Joseph Branch, a Bethlehem Steel Corp. steelworker, and his wife, M. Millicent Branch, a homemaker, was born in Baltimore and raised on Druid Hill Avenue near Druid Hill Park. Mrs. Evans was a 1944 graduate of Frederick Douglass High School and earned a bachelors degree in 1948 from Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, in Hampton, Virginia. Advertisement Velma B. Evans wrote federal grants to incorporate special education studies into college curricula. (handout) She obtained a masters degree in 1957 from Columbia University at a time when African Americans were not allowed to attend graduate school in Maryland. At taxpayer expense, Black students were sent out of state to other colleges and universities. She went to Columbia every weekend for classes, Dr. Amprey said. Her parents wanted her to go to college, said Gloria Williams Robb, a retired Howard County Public Schools educator who lives in Columbia. All throughout my life, she inspired me with her ideas and thoughts. She was the one who told me to go to Hampton, and Ill always be grateful to her. Mrs. Evans began teaching in city public schools in 1951 and later began working with preschoolers. In the early 1960s, she became a teacher in Project Hope, an early school admissions project that was aimed at culturally disadvantaged children, according to a 1963 Sun story. The project aimed to teach basic learning skills that were necessary for survival and growth in the first years of school. At Mount Royal Elementary School, Mrs. Evans was the senior member of a four-person teaching team that included an assistant teacher, teachers aide and a volunteer; their mission was to give a maximum amount of attention to each child. We try and give children what theyve been lacking for four years, she told the newspaper. We take them on a trip every week: To the airport, grocery store, supermarket, the park. We walk around the community and show them things they have never seen before. Many parents actually brag that their children have never been away from their own block. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 61 Ron Galella, the celebrity photographer whose pursuit of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis resulted in a restraining order against him after he stalked her for years, died at age 91 on April 30, 2022, at his home in Montville, N.J., of congestive heart failure. (Carlo Allegri/AP) Mrs. Evans stressed the importance of parents cooperation and participation in the program. If the teacher can see the whole family life, it helps her to understand and know more about what to do, she told The Sun. If you understand, you dont become frustrated when you try something and it doesnt work. Advertisement She added: The program itself is just a drop in the bucket, but its a very important drop. Mrs. Evans later was one of the early teachers to join the Head Start program in city schools and was then promoted to the old school headquarters building on 25th Street, where she was supervisor of elementary grades, and finally as program director of the Early School Admission program and was a Title 1 coordinator. She retired in 1978. For the next two decades, Mrs. Evans was an assistant professor of education at Delaware State University in Dover, where she also wrote federal grants to incorporate special education studies into the curricula of educators who were interested in teaching special needs students. She had been an adjunct professor at what are now Towson University and Loyola University Maryland, and also conducted workshops about teaching young children in many locales. She set the example and message and was accomplished, said Ms. Robb, who retired in 2002 after a 30-year career with Howard County Public Schools. She was a very quiet and modest person, and we revered her for that. Advertisement Mrs. Evans had high standards and was no-nonsense when it came to her lifes work. She didnt pull any punches and told you exactly how she felt. You towed the line when you were with her, and she would not tolerate any bad behavior, Dr. Amprey said. She was rigorously hardworking, but she was the fun aunt, he said. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 25 Vivian C. Millie Bailey was a World War II veteran who served in the Army as unit commander of an all-female detachment who later worked for the Social Security Administration and became a Howard County community activist. (Kim Hairston, Baltimore Sun) Mrs. Evans enjoyed exercising, dancing, traveling and entertaining at her Forest Park home and, later, her residence on Upper Park Heights Avenue, where she lived for 27 years. She had a club cellar and bar in her basement, and she loved to dance, Dr. Amprey said. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Mrs. Evans looked forward to the holidays and entertaining her family. Advertisement She had the entire family over for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, all of the holidays, Ms. Robb recalled. They were sit-down dinners, and shed prepare all the food. We didnt have to bring anything, and shed have everything ready. She was an incredibly gracious host, said J. Van Story Van Branch Jr., a nephew, who lives in Randallstown. [ Kraig B. Greff, a professional musician who co-founded The Crawdaddies, dies ] Mrs. Evans was a member of Pi Lambda Theta, a national honor and professional education association; Beta Sigma Phi sorority and Club La Coterie. Mrs. Evans husband of 25 years, Randall Evans, a postal manager, died in 1988. Her brother, J. Van Story Branch Sr., who had been director of the City Housing Authority from 1965 to 1983, died in 2006. Mrs. Evans left her body to the Maryland Anatomy Board, and it was her wish that no services be held, family members said. She is survived by many nieces and nephews. Babylon Vault Company, in conjunction with Americas Warriors Care Package Project, announced the mobilization of a Stuff the Trailer care package drive to collect items to benefit active duty military personnel. The drive will run from Saturday, March 26 Sunday, May 1. The trailer is accessible for drop-offs 24 hours a day/7 days a week. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Carroll County Times) Babylon Vault Company, in conjunction with Americas Warriors Care Package Project, is hosting a Stuff the Trailer care package drive to collect items to benefit active-duty military personnel. Donated items should be dropped off at a trailer located at Babylon Vault Company, 925 Wakefield Valley Road near New Windsor at the corner of Maryland Route 31. It will be accessible for drop-offs 24 hours a day, seven days a week through May 1. Advertisement Babylon Vault Company has a long history of honoring veterans through dignified services and set-ups. This tradition was started by Graham Babylon, who founded the company in 1930. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who also lost his only brother during World War II. With the recent increase in deployments we wanted to find a way to support our active-duty military, said Donna Babylon, third generation owner of the locally owned company. We had tremendous response from the community with our Stuff the Trailer Food Drive we organized at the beginning of the COVID pandemic So the idea expanded to join forces with Marine mom Dawn Geigan, and have another Stuff the Trailer event. Advertisement Geigan, a Westminster resident, unknowingly started what would become known as Americas Warriors Care Package Project in 2017 from her living room when she sent one care package to her active-duty son. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > She quickly realized that receiving a care package from home was a huge morale booster. Learning that many soldiers were sleeping on the ground with rocks as pillows and often had no access to showers she sent more care packages. Eventually her friends and neighbors got involved. We are seeking very specific items, Babylon said. Snacks and products for basic needs are requested, but anything shipped has to sustain a long mailing period. Individual snack packs and travel size items are preferred for convenience and portability We are also requesting that uplifting handwritten notes are included. A complete list of requested items can be found at https://babylonvaultcompany.com/events/. Our troops all face unique challenges depending on their deployment, whether it be in the middle of the ocean or a remote location, Tammy Ray, Community Relations Manager at Babylon Vault Company, said. Imagine the feeling when a service member opens a box and finds much needed supplies and a handwritten note from someone they dont even know. As the trailer fills, Babylon Vault Company employees will collect and organize the donations. In early May, community volunteers are welcome to help assemble and pack the individual boxes. Packages will be shipped mid-May to be delivered by mid-July. We are fortunate to be part of such a caring community and are confident that we will easily reach our goal of shipping hundreds of care packages, said. For additional information contact Tammy Ray at 443-605-5461 or Tammy@BabylonVaultCompany.com Maryland lawmakers who produced the first congressional map drawn by Democrats to be struck down this redistricting cycle will vote on a new map this week, leading lawmakers announced Monday. Democrats went back to the drawing board over the weekend after Judge Lynne Battaglia ruled Friday that the map lawmakers approved in December is a product of extreme partisan gerrymandering. Advertisement The legislation with the new map will get a hearing Tuesday morning before lawmakers. It was not immediately clear Monday afternoon whether lawmakers also would appeal her decision. This legislation is contingent on the loss of an appeal and is expected to be on the governors desk this week, Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones said Monday in a news release. However, we worked expeditiously to ensure that the redistricting process was not further delayed and that the map presented reflects the new requirements as set forth by Judge Battaglia. Advertisement Battaglia said the map violated the state constitutional requirement that legislative districts consist of adjoining territory and be compact in form, with due regard for natural boundaries and political subdivisions. It also violated the state constitutions free elections, free speech and equal protection clauses, she said. Breaking News Alerts As it happens When big news breaks in our area, be the first to know. > The judge sent the map back to the legislature to develop a new plan by Wednesday, and scheduled a Friday hearing to review it in court. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in Maryland, yet Democrats hold a 7-1 advantage over Republicans in the states U.S. House delegation. Opponents of the map approved in December said it made the states lone Republican, Rep. Andy Harris, vulnerable. Other courts have overturned maps found to be GOP gerrymanders in North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, infuriating Republicans and leading conservatives to push for the U.S. Supreme Court to limit the power of state courts to intervene against maps drawn by state legislatures. The initial map was approved late last year by a panel mostly of state lawmakers, including four Democrats and two Republicans, and approved by the General Assembly. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed it, but the Democrats who control the legislature overrode his veto. GOP lawmakers then filed a lawsuit. Hogan, a rare two-term Republican in a heavily Democratic state during a redistricting year, praised the judges ruling. He had issued an executive order creating a separate redistricting panel comprised of a Republican, a Democrat and an independent who chose other panelists. Hogan says their map was created with more transparency by citizens rather than politicians, but Democrats havent allowed a vote on it. Earlier this month, the states highest court moved the states primary by three weeks due to the redistricting lawsuits, from June 28 to July 19. Marylands state legislative map also is being challenged. The delay comes in a big election year in Maryland, where voters will decide all 188 seats in the state legislature, open statewide offices such as governor, attorney general and comptroller, a U.S. Senate seat and all eight congressional seats. The long campaign to create a Maryland paid family and medical leave program for nearly all workers has won considerable support in the Democrat-controlled General Assembly, bringing the state closer to a goal of creating a new social insurance benefit. Top leadership in both chambers support it and legislation creating such a benefit recently passed both the Senate and the House of Delegates with wide majorities. Advertisement Yet the prospects of a paid family and medical leave plan making it into law remain uncertain, despite Senate President Bill Fergusons vow last month that it is going to pass this year. Major unresolved differences remain among Democratic lawmakers over how quickly to set up the multibillion-dollar program, how much to charge private-sector companies and workers, how generous to make benefits and exactly who will be eligible for leave. Advertisement And thats before considering its chances of making it across Gov. Larry Hogans desk. The Republican governor hasnt threatened a veto directly, but a spokesman said the governor will not consider costly proposals that hurt the smallest businesses, especially the mom-and-pop establishments. A Hogan veto would make passing a paid leave program harder, despite wide Democratic majorities in the General Assembly. Still, it passed the Senate with enough votes (31 to 15) to override the governor unless it loses support. Alternately, a veto offers Democrats a key campaign issue heading into this falls election to replace the term-limited governor. Most of the Democrats running for governor including all the leading candidates signed a joint letter last week urging lawmakers to pass paid leave this year and promising to effectively administer the program if elected. Differing paths to similar destination with many unknowns The insurance program would allow workers to take time off to care for ailing relatives, spend time with a newborn baby or deal with their own serious health issues while still receiving at least a portion of their previous earnings. Creating such a plan has been a top priority for a number of progressive and family advocacy groups and a major concern for business groups worried about the potential costs and difficulty of replacing skilled workers on leave. The House backed legislation setting a nonbinding June 2024 date to start paying benefit claims from the program but leaves sorting out all the details about benefits, eligibility and contribution rates until next year after a study commission can dig into the topic. Senators, meanwhile, voted to create a program that would offer workers up to 12 weeks of paid leave each year or, for those juggling both serious family health crises and a newborn baby, a total of 24 weeks starting at the beginning of 2025. Pandemic echoes trigger a warning from a friend We want to make sure we get this right because this is very important, House Economic Matters Chair C.T. Wilson, whos sponsored paid leave proposals for several years, said before rewriting his legislation to study the details instead of creating the program. Advertisement Wilson said he had concerns that the pandemic had upended the economy too much to accurately forecast how the program would work, and that taking too much of the cost directly out of workers paychecks could prove not only challenging for families but also unpopular. Its not feasible, Wilson told colleagues. Im afraid that the system itself would fail. Others say its past time to act. Paid leave has been overstudied, over-analyzed and, at the end of the day, has overwhelming support from Maryland working families, said Sen. Antonio Hayes, a Baltimore Democrat. To study it once more, I think, would be an exercise in futility. Hayes said several past studies, including a legislative commission in 2017, as well as data from states with paid leave programs, provide plenty of data to launch the program. And Hayes said the Senate-passed framework which allows state officials to annually adjust a contribution rate offers flexibility. Under a bill from Hayes and Sen. Joanne C. Benson of Prince Georges County, an actuarial study to forecast potential claims and payroll contributions would guide the program as it starts collecting money after June 1, 2023. The first benefits would start a year later. Advertisement What to include? And for whom? Just how comprehensive and mandatory to make the program whether every worker at a private-sector business would be required to participate or to allow small businesses to opt out has been a simmering debate in Maryland and in the nine states that already have enacted paid leave programs. Another key point of debate is over whether, or how, to split contributions between companies and employees. The Senate-passed proposal in Maryland originally would have split the cost evenly, but was amended to put more of the cost 75% directly on workers, with employers chipping in the rest. Every company would be required to participate, while freelancers and other self-employed workers could choose to opt in. The benefits would pay a percentage of a workers wages while theyre on leave, with the exact amount tied to a workers average previous earnings. Benefits would be capped at $1,000 a week. Wilson said he doesnt believe that is a viable split and suggested stalled negotiations over putting more of the cost on businesses influenced his decision to favor another study. Costs/benefits by the numbers Business groups like the Maryland Chamber of Commerce expressed concern over shouldering new taxes; worker advocates say putting too much of the price on workers would make the program unfair and unaffordable. Most economists argue workers end up paying the full cost regardless, either directly or gradually in the form of lower wages. Mandating larger contributions on the pay stubs of workers also could dent the programs political popularity. Advertisement For a Maryland worker earning $52,000 a year, or $1,000 per week, contributions to the paid leave program would cost no more than $5.63 each week (although backers hope the actual rate would be well below a 0.75% max rate). The workers employer would pay at most another $1.88 weekly. Republican critics have raised concerns about the uncertainty of the actual rate and say the program could have unanticipated costs. They also foresee an unexpected flood of claims. Cart before the horse? A paid leave program in Washington state has run short of cash to pay benefits and needed an infusion of state money earlier this month, a potential cautionary tale to critics of Marylands proposal. The Washington program, however, has several key differences, including a lower initial cap on payroll taxes to fund it. Still, some critics have suggested Marylands proposal puts the cart before the horse, creating a major new benefit program without a precise idea of how many workers might claim leave or how much its going to cost. This is a massive government program, said Andrew Griffin of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. Youve got to make the most informed decision you can make. Advertisement Griffin said the chamber doesnt necessarily oppose a paid leave program, but is uncomfortable with uncertainty around the programs financials and doesnt support having businesses pay part of the cost. Its a tough pill for people to swallow right now, businesses and workers, Griffin said. Success seen elsewhere Proponents have pointed to other states for successful examples, including Californias first-in-the-nation program, which launched 20 years ago and has been expanded several times. Neighboring New Jersey and D.C. both have paid leave programs and Delaware appears poised to create one in the coming weeks. Breaking News Alerts As it happens When big news breaks in our area, be the first to know. > Research on existing programs, especially Californias, has shown that more women tend to remain in the workforce when they can access parental leave, and that businesses have tended to be more satisfied with the programs than feared, said Kathleen Romig, who studies the issue for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning D.C.-based advocacy group that supports paid leave programs. Romig said that broad statewide programs also can benefit small businesses and the self-employed by making the cost much easier to bear. A company with just three or four employees might struggle to keep paying workers who take off, Romig said, but could make it work more easily with a state fund picking up the tab. The payroll cost, however, isnt the only aspect of a paid leave proposal that worries some business owners. Several pointed to the potential blow of losing difficult-to-replace employees for lengthy stretches. Advertisement Concern over loss of key workers Autoshop owner Bruce Spencer told lawmakers in February that a new payroll tax would be a relatively minimal expense for him. The bigger concern, Spencer said, is keeping the shop running without one of his experienced mechanics. We have four technicians, Spencer said of his Severn shop, Walt Egers Service Center. If one or two of them were out for 12 weeks or more that is revenue we cant bill. Paid leave supporters say those challenges will be outweighed by the programs broader benefits. Workers who might otherwise quit jobs to care for newborns or dying parents may opt to remain in the labor force. Feature: Australian scientist working on jigsaw puzzle of earth with Chinese researchers Xinhua) 14:15, March 27, 2022 CANBERRA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientist Sue O'Reilly might have known about the geostructure of China better than many Chinese. During the past 40 years, the professor from Macquarie University has been committed to research collaborations in geoscience with Chinese universities and institutes during her trips to China. On Thursday, O'Reilly received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award for her contribution to the development of Chinese science and exchanges between the Chinese and international geoscience community. "This is by far the most emotional moment I've ever had in my Chinese collaborations," said the 76-year-old Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in an interview with Xinhua after the awarding ceremony. "It is just amazing that 30 or 40 years of doing wonderful work with wonderful Chinese colleagues has been so important that it's recognized by the Chinese government." The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China is a state-level annual award established by the State Council of China in 1994, which is conferred on foreign experts or organizations that have made important contributions to China's science and technology development. "This award is indeed proof that science collaboration is a powerful way to build lasting international bonds and ongoing cooperation in an increasingly complex world that we all share, and we have a responsibility to shape for the future," said O'Reilly. She first traveled to China in 1982. At that time she finished her PhD in volcanic rocks around New South Wales, and found that Australia was not the right place to take her research any further. So she cast her sight to China. The life-long contacts she then established came into fruition with an invitation to a conference in Beijing in 1992. She then visited the Fangshan basalt and xenoliths in Luhe, Nanjing of east China's Jiangsu province. In the following years, Professor O'Reilly worked with Chinese researchers. They conducted research in China, investigated the volcanic geology of South Australia, and compared the four-dimensional rock evolution of eastern China with eastern Australia. "We had a vision to understand how the earth works with Chinese colleagues. I won't pretend it's all been easy. We had some very hard field trips," she said. In 2002, she visited Hannuoba of north China's Hebei province. The road was slippery when they rode on a tractor to go to the site after the rain, but the happiness for exploration was written on her smiling face in the photo. Throughout the years she witnessed great changes in China. "When I first went to China, there were almost no motor cars," she told Xinhua, recalling the scene when they sat in a black car in a sea of bikes. Back in 1982, not long after China had opened up to the world and to new science, people in the laboratories had very little equipment, and many were looking at foreign experts like O'Reilly to "guide them as to what was important for the future." "The outcome of that has been that China has grown scientifically so much that we now go to use laboratories in China because they are so excellent, and I received so much support in China," she added. The professor said one of her greatest memories was being able to assist the young Chinese to start publishing in the international literature, build their world-class laboratories and research programs and bring up the next generation in an international environment of science. As a visiting professor of the China University of Geosciences and concurrent professor of the Nanjing University, she not only helped with the training of scientific and technological talents, but also initiated many geological surveys and laboratory cooperation between China and Australia. She visited the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013, where she guided Chinese researchers to carry out laboratory work and discuss test data. The young scientists she trained have become the backbone of many key laboratories in China. She also planned a China-Australia joint research center to promote in-depth cooperation between the two countries. Not sure how many Chinese researchers she had worked with in the past decades, O'Reilly noted that they had about 200 scientists across China and Australia at the peak of the work. "It's been very satisfying to see the young scientists at that time now become the leaders and mentoring their own young next generation," she added, saying they had made achievements that are only possible under the cooperation between Chinese and Australian scientists. "Science across national borders is a better way to make a better world for all and for a more sustainable future, for our planet and society," she said. "I consider this award as a testament to China-Australia scientific cooperation and a shared vision for a future." She expected to see more cooperation in spite of changes in political relations between the two countries. "Science goes on, no matter what," the scientist said. "Science in China started thousands of years ago, and it is still going strong. How many political changes have there been in the world over 2,000 years?" "Every person does a small part. It's like a jigsaw puzzle," she said. "We start putting things into place, and we have ended up with a really significant change in the way we understand the earth, and the way we do prospecting for important minerals that we're going to need for the sustainable future. It's not the end of it. People will take our work and go on from there." (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Bianji) Intersect Illinois, the states public-private economic development arm, has launched a new $1 million digital marketing campaign, Be in Illinois, aimed at luring companies to locate beyond the city limits of Chicago. After six years of leadership changes, dwindling resources and a low profile, Intersect Illinois may have its work cut out for it. Advertisement This is a bit of a new start for Illinois in this area, said Dan Seals, 50, a business and political veteran named CEO of Intersect Illinois in September. Were going to be making a very targeted campaign toward companies to make the case for Illinois. On the heels of Chicagos guerrilla marketing campaign Chicago Not in Chicago, the inaugural state economic development pitch under Seals could well be subtitled, Illinois Not in Chicago. Seals is leading a concerted effort to draw businesses from six industries where Illinois is most competitive: manufacturing, electric vehicles, technology, life sciences, logistics and agribusiness. Advertisement The goal is to get downstate Illinois in the conversation for putting down corporate roots, while building up the states image as a breeding ground for unicorns such as Rivian, the EV startup that began production last year from a renovated plant in Normal. Dan Seals, shown here in 2018, is a business and political veteran who was named CEO of Intersect Illinois in September 2021. Were going to be making a very targeted campaign toward companies to make the case for Illinois. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Illinois has a central location, a skilled workforce and an excellent infrastructure, Seals said. That makes it a great place to do business. Intersect Illinois helped Rivian negotiate the deal to buy the shuttered Mitsubishi plant for $16 million from a liquidation firm in January 2017. Rivian now has 4,750 employees working at its Normal production facility, and a market cap north of $40 billion. But the victories have been few and far between since then-Gov. Bruce Rauner founded Intersect Illinois in 2016, following the lead of similar public-private economic development organizations in states such as Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. While Intersect Illinois claims it has brought 15,800 jobs and $4.7 billion in investment to the state, it has struggled to gain traction or private financial support, dwindling to a skeletal operation in recent years. In 2020, Intersect Illinois had revenues of about $1.55 million, of which the state supplied 93%, according to the organizations most recent annual report. Thats less than one-fifth of the typical annual budget at World Business Chicago, the citys public-private economic development arm. A business executive perhaps best known for three failed bids as a Democratic candidate for the 10th Congressional District on the North Shore, Seals was appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to resurrect Intersect Illinois. Vehicles are assembled and tested before the new Rivian plant fully opened in Normal, Illinois, on April 14, 2021. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Loop Capital CEO Jim Reynolds, who has served on the Intersect Illinois board since its inception and was elevated to chairman by Pritzker, said the political impasse between Rauner and then-House Speaker Michael Madigan essentially neutered the nascent economic development effort, drying up public and private support. Advertisement The fighting that was occurring in Springfield back then, when Intersect was launched, just put it so far in the hole that it just never was going to work, said Reynolds, 67. But its a different time now. Reynolds, who is also a board member on World Business Chicago, said the citys economic development arm can be both a blueprint and a more active partner for Intersect Illinois. Founded as a private enterprise in 1999, World Business Chicago merged the following year with the taxpayer-funded Chicago Partnership for Economic Development, building on its mission to draw new business to the city. The organization extended its recruitment efforts internationally under then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Chicago was recently named the top metro for corporate investment for the ninth consecutive year by Site Selection magazine, with a record 441 companies relocating to or expanding in the Chicago area during 2021. The corporate influx brought more than $2.8 billion in investments, 18,368 jobs and 59 million square feet of space to Chicago and the suburbs, according to Site Selection. Companies ranged across industries from technology and manufacturing to consumer goods, and included Natures Fynd, Discover Financial Services and John Deere, which plans to hire more than 300 new IT workers at its new Fulton Market offices. Reynolds wants to foster more cooperation and communication between the city and state organizations, working together to facilitate recruitment of businesses across municipal lines. He is encouraging Seals to meet with Michael Fassnacht, president and CEO of World Business Chicago, on a regular basis. Advertisement Michael Fassnacht, president and CEO of World Business Chicago, is seen during a news conference at the Chicago headquarters Nature's Fynd on Oct. 28, 2021, to discuss the company's expansion to a new production facility on the South Side. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Its a natural partnership that just never got off the ground before, Reynolds said. And were getting it off the ground now. Hoping to stretch a relatively small marketing budget, Intersect Illinois has created a focused digital advertising campaign with the Chicago office of communications firm Edelman. If all goes right, most people in Illinois will never see it, Seals said. The campaign will be aimed at decision-makers in the six industries Illinois seeks to reach, targeting them with ads on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, and steering them to a new recruitment website at beinillinois.org, which went live this week. EVs are a great case in point, Seals said. Weve got a great ecosystem that were building here in Illinois. And so we want to reach folks in the EV business nationwide with our marketing. In November, Pritzker signed the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, which incentivizes EV manufacturers to locate in the state through tax credits, including up to 100% of income tax withheld for new jobs created. The legislation also allows local municipalities to abate property taxes for EV projects. EVs are proving to be fertile ground for Illinois. In 2020, Intersect helped recruit Netherlands-based EVBox, a leading builder of charging stations, to open its North American headquarters in Libertyville. It also helped lure Canadian EV truck manufacturer Lion Electric to convert a Joliet warehouse into a factory to produce up to 20,000 electric trucks and buses a year, with production slated to begin later this year. Advertisement Vehicles are assembled and tested before the new Rivian plant fully opened in Normal, Illinois, on April 14, 2021. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) While Illinois is taking a targeted approach to economic development campaigns, other states have engaged in bigger, and sometimes more provocative efforts aimed at poaching business from Illinois. In 2019, Kentucky launched a billboard campaign along Interstate 57 urging Illinois businesses to head south across state lines for lower taxes and fewer regulations. Illinois has a 9.5% marginal corporate income tax rate one of the highest in the nation while Kentucky has a 5% corporate tax rate, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization. Texas, which has no corporate income tax, has frequently taken aim at Illinois. In 2013, then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry bought a slew of radio and newspaper ads in Chicago before heading to the city on a mission to recruit Illinois employers to pull up stakes and head to the Lone Star State. A delegation from the Texas Economic Development Corporation made a similar recruiting trip to Chicago in 2016. In September, World Business Chicago fired back, taking out a full-page ad in the Sunday Dallas Morning News inviting businesses to head north after Texas passed restrictive abortion and voting legislation. I think the whole billboard approach is great to get people talking. I think it is horrible to get businesses to relocate, Seals said. It just doesnt make sense to place an ad where 99% plus of the people who see it actually arent businesses who are interested in relocating. Advertisement A University of Chicago MBA who formerly was assistant director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Seals ticked off the selling points visitors to the Be in Illinois website will see: The fifth-largest economy in the U.S. More Fortune 500 companies than all but three states. More engineers produced annually by Illinois universities than MIT, Stanford and Caltech combined. While Intersects campaign will not target Illinois viewers, Seals encouraged them to visit the website, saying the states self-image could use a boost, and the economic development efforts could use a few million more emissaries. I think theres a wide gap between our perception of ourselves as a place to do business and our reality of Illinois as a place to do business, Seals said. There seems to be this lack of confidence in who we are. But our assets far outweigh our liabilities, and we shouldnt be shy about making the case for Illinois. rchannick@chicagotribune.com LOS ANGELES CODA star Troy Kotsur made history at the Oscars as the first deaf man to win an Academy Award for acting. His victory comes 35 years after his "CODA" co-star Marlee Matlin became the first deaf actor ever to win an Oscar, for her leading role in "Children of a Lesser God." Advertisement Kotsur had formidable competition in Ciaran Hinds ("Belfast"), Jesse Plemons ("The Power of the Dog"), J.K. Simmons ("Being the Ricardos") and Kodi Smit-McPhee ("The Power of the Dog"). But the 53-year-old became the clear frontrunner after taking home key precursor awards, including a British Academy Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critics' Choice Award. Kotsur has continued to break new ground during awards season as the first deaf male actor to land those prizes. In his speech, Kotsur mentioned that the "CODA" cast met Joe and Jill Biden at the White House and Matlin stopped him from teaching the president and first lady swear words in sign language. He also dedicated his win to his father in an emotional speech that made his interpreter choke up. Advertisement "My dad, he was the best signer in our family, but he was in a car accident and he became paralyzed from the neck down and he no longer was able to sign. Dad, I learned so much from you. I'll always love you. You are my hero," Kotsur said. "I read one of Spielberg's books recently and he said the definition of the best director was a skilled communicator. Sian Heder, you are the best communicator. The reason why is you brought the deaf world and the hearing world together, and you are our bridge. Your name will forever be on that bridge, Sian Heder Bridge here in Hollywood, and that was supported by Apple, Sundance, our cast, crew, producers and the community of Gloucester, Massachusetts. So I just I want to say 'Hey, fishermen, hey, Popeyes, don't forget to eat your spinach," he added as the crowd laughed. Youn Yuh-jung, right, presents Troy Kotsur with the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for "CODA" during the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. (Ruth Fremson/The New York Times) Kotsur portrays the funny and foul-mouthed Frank Rossi in "CODA," a touching melodrama about a teenage girl named Ruby who is the only hearing member of her family. (The title is an acronym for "child of deaf adults.") Frank Rossi, a deaf fisherman, struggles to relate to his daughter Ruby (Emilia Jones), who is torn between pursing her passion for singing and helping her family's fishing business, since Ruby serves as their interpreter with the outside world. In a particularly moving scene, Frank listens to Ruby's sing by holding his hands to her vocal cords as a way to connect with his daughter over something she loves. Frank was trying to understand: Whats so special about his daughters singing? Kotsur said in a prior interview. It wasn't only the emotional moments that won over voters. Kotsur's Frank Rossi was behind several humorous bits as well. In one instance at the doctor's office, he had to translate the discomfort of having jock itch. Troy is an amazing improviser, CODA director Sian Heder previously recalled. We were dying laughing behind the monitor because every time he described having jock itch, it became more outrageous, more visual and more graphic. The feel-good film became a surprisingly powerful contender in the awards race since premiering at Sundance Film Festival last year. Apple TV Plus spent a record $25 million for CODA, which was also nominated for best picture and adapted screenplay. The Academy does not condone violence in any form. This is the response we heard from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, immediately following Sundays inciting incident: Will Smith slapping Chris Rock in retaliation for a useless, heartless verbal jab at Smiths wife and fellow performer, Jada Pinkett Smith. Advertisement Lest we forget, the Academy has a pretty solid record of condoning violence in many forms. The movie industry, the medium itself, remains an economic force, even now, largely because of violence. Fictional human brutality is money. Many of the most popular films in existence would be nothing without it. Without it, you wouldnt have seen Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro onstage Sunday night for the 50th anniversary of The Godfather. You can draw distinctions between whats real and what isnt. But the threat and fact of violence, verbal and physical, tells the story of every day in America and our world, from confirmation hearings to playgrounds to Putin to Hollywood. Advertisement A lot of us went into the Oscars Sunday night feeling wobbly for a variety of reasons. A lot of us were wondering if anything might effectively take our minds off the invasion of Ukraine or the latest U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearing. A little escapism wouldve been nice. Well. Maybe next year. When Will Smith rolled up onstage at the Dolby Theatre a little ahead of schedule and slapped Chris Rock, suddenly we were watching the most nerve-wracking Oscars ceremony in history. It felt like a dozen things at once: a violation, a vindication, a boiling point reached and a reminder that escapism is very, very hard to come by these days. Will Smith accepts the actor in a leading role award for "King Richard" onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California. (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) You could watch Smiths thought processes in real time and in mere seconds. First, Rock took an egregious shot at the expense of Pinkett Smiths bald head. The jokes target was a famous woman, married to a famous man. Just another cheap insult for laughs. Was it a joke that would have come from any of the three official Oscars co-hosts, Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes? Doubtful. They wouldnt have settled for a pathetic, late 20th-century G.I. Jane gag, directed at a woman who went public several years ago with her struggles with the autoimmune condition known as alopecia areata. You could see Smith responding to Rocks jab in an approximation of goodwill through gritted teeth. Pinkett Smith, who had been stung by Rocks barbs before, a few Oscars ago, was in no mood for going along to get along. And then Smith slapped Rock, and the temperature in the room changed and never changed back. Not long after that, roughly halfway into the ceremonys promised exciting final hour, Smith accepted the best actor Oscar for King Richard. Through several highly suspenseful minutes, Smith in his acceptance speech attempted to explain, justify and partially apologize for smacking Rock, though without any apology to Rock himself. Smiths actions, he said, through tears, were in the spirit of Richard Williams, whom he played in King Richard, and Williams fierce protection of his family. Advertisement Love will make you do crazy things, Smith said. He apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees. And it worked; it played. As bits of what clearly was Smiths prepared remarks emerged in and among his thoughts about contrition, Gods purpose and not putting up with anyones trash talk anymore, the Oscars became the most riveting improv session in recent memory. As Twitter and the Monday morning shows filed their insta-reviews of Smiths behavior, the results were as divided as everything else in the culture right now. Rock had it coming. Smith was out of line. Were both things true? Neither? Oh, well. Classic West Philly behavior, many said in reference to Smiths hometown, including Quinta Brunson of Abbott Elementary. Later in the day, the Academy weighed in again, announcing that it will conduct a formal review: The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last nights show, the organization said. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law. I know to do what we do, Smith said onstage Sunday night, Oscar in hand, you gotta be able to take abuse. You gotta be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business, you gotta be able to have people disrespecting you and you gotta smile and pretend like thats OK. But in movie terms, the protagonist of Will Smiths Oscar night, played by Will Smith, had had enough. The real drama? Denzel Washington counseled Smith after the incident during a commercial break. In his acceptance speech, Smith relayed that Denzel said to me a few minutes ago, At your highest moment, be careful thats when the devil comes for you. It was a wrenching moment, impossible to reduce to a single response or thought or feeling. What else happened Sunday? CODA won top prize. Ariana DeBose, supporting actress winner for West Side Story, gave a wonderful speech. Less wonderful: the In Memoriam tribute, led by Tyler Perrys salute to the late Sidney Poitier, which soon turned into a risky folly of a gospel musical dance number. As Virgil Tibbs, the Philly detective in the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night, Poitier famously returned the slap delivered first by a white murder suspect. It was what many have called the slap heard around the world. Advertisement The 2022 Oscars answered that slap with another one. As for all the fan favorite bits clogging up the telecast Sunday, well, I felt nothing, just like the song from A Chorus Line said. ABCs strong-arm decision to add all the Marvel and DC Comics-friendly fan service, like ABCs decision to kick eight of the Oscar categories to a pre-taped pre-show thingie edited into the live broadcast, had a clear motive: to get people who hate the Oscars to hate them a tiny bit less. Its decision-making designed for craven fan service, regarding theoretical movie fans who know what they like and thats that and to hell with The Power of the Dog or Drive My Car or The Worst Person in the World. Well, CODA people might take a chance on that one now. Its historic and nonthreatening: a heartwarming American remake of a heartwarming French film about the teenage daughter of deaf parents, as well as the first best-picture prize awarded to a streaming service, Apple TV+. But no one was talking much about those films Monday morning, even if U.S. viewers Sunday night saw only strange censored glitches and heard only bleeped-out silence once Will Smith took the stage, smacked a comedian and took care of things the way they do in the movies. This story has been updated with new information about the Academys response. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. Advertisement mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. ISLAMABAD Taliban hard-liners are turning back the clock in Afghanistan with a flurry of repressive edicts over the past days that hark back to their harsh rule from the late 1990s. Girls have been banned from going to school beyond the sixth grade, women are barred from boarding planes if they travel unaccompanied by a male relative. Men and women can only visit public parks on separate days and the use of mobile telephones in universities is prohibited. Advertisement It doesnt stop there. International media broadcasts including the Pashto and Persian BBC services, which broadcast in the two languages of Afghanistan are off the air as of the weekend. So are foreign drama series. Advertisement Since the Taliban seized control of the country in mid-August, during the last chaotic weeks of the U.S. and NATO pullout after 20 years of war, the international community has been concerned they would impose the same strict laws as when they previously ruled Afghanistan. The latest assault on womens rights came earlier this month, when the all-male and religiously driven Taliban government broke its promise to allow girls to return to school after the sixth grade. The move stunned much of the world and many in Afghanistan especially after the Taliban had given all the necessary assurances that this was not going to happen. The United Nations has called the banning of international media broadcasts another repressive step against the people of Afghanistan. The website of the BBC Pashto service said it was a worrying development at a time of uncertainty and turbulence. More than 6 million Afghans consume the BBCs independent and impartial journalism on TV every week and it is crucial they are not denied access to it in the future, BBC World Services head of languages Tarik Kafala said in a statement Sunday. Afghan girls participate a lesson inside a classroom at Tajrobawai Girls High School, in Herat, Afghanistan, Nov. 25, 2021. (Petros Giannakouris/AP) On Monday, members of the Taliban vice and virtue ministry stood outside government ministries, ordering male employees without traditional turbans and beards seen as a symbol of piety to go home. One employee who was told to go home said he didnt know if and when he would be able to return to work. He spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for his safety. According to a senior Taliban official and Afghans familiar with the Talibans leadership, the push to return to the past which resulted in the edicts emerged from a three-day meeting last week in the southern city of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban. They say the edicts stem from the demands of the Talibans hard-line supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, who is apparently trying to steer the country back to the late 1990s, when the Taliban had banned women from education and public spaces, and outlawed music, television and many sports. The younger among the Taliban do not agree with some of these edicts but they are not comfortable contradicting the elders, said Torek Farhadi, an analyst who served as adviser to previous Afghan governments. Farhadi, who has been in contact with Taliban officials since their return to power, did not elaborate. Advertisement The more pragmatic among the Taliban are resisting the edicts or at least silently ignoring them, Farhadi said. Since their takeover of the country, the Taliban have been trying to transition from insurgency and war to governing, with the hard-liners increasingly at odds with the pragmatists on how to run a country in the midst of a humanitarian crisis and an economy in free fall. The Taliban leadership today is different from the one-man rule of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the reclusive founder of the Taliban movement in the mid-1990s who reigned with a heavy hand. A divide is growing between some within the old guard, who uphold the harsh rule of the past and a younger generation of Taliban leaders who see a future of engagement with the international community. The younger generation sees rights for both men and women, though still within their interpretation of Islamic law but one that allows school for girls and women in the workforce. The younger Taliban need to speak up, said Farhadi. Still, Akhundzada has modelled himself on Mullah Omar, preferring to stay in remote Kandahar, far from the eyes of the public, rather than rule from the Afghan capital of Kabul. He also adheres to Pashtun tribal mores traditions where women are hidden away and girls are married off at puberty. Advertisement Akhunzada ran a madrassa, or a religious school, in Pakistans border regions before his 2016 rise as the new Taliban leader. Those with knowledge of Akhunzada say he is unconcerned about international outrage over the latest restrictive Taliban edicts and about the growing discontent and complaints from Afghans, who have become increasingly outspoken. It was Akhunzada who reportedly vetoed the opening of schools to girls after the sixth grade as the Taliban had promised to do in late March, at the start of the new schoolyear. On Saturday, dozens of girls demonstrated in Kabul, demanding the right to go to school. Ethnic Pashtuns elsewhere have resisted Taliban adherence to tribal laws. In Pakistan, where ethnic Pashtuns also dominate the border regions, movements such as the Pashtun Rights Movement have emerged to challenge backward tribal traditions and disavow Taliban interpretations of Islamic law. Manzoor Pashteen, the movements leader, has been an outspoken opponent and has accused the Taliban of hijacking ethnic Pashtun sentiments and misrepresenting their traditions and misinterpreting them as religious edicts. Akhunzadas onslaught against progress comes at a time when the health of the Taliban-appointed prime minister, also a hard-liner, Hasan Akhund, is reported to be deteriorating. Akhund did not meet with Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi last week, when the top Chinese diplomat made a surprise one-day visit to Kabul. Farhadi has hope the younger, more pragmatic Taliban leaders will find their voice and urged for an outreach to them by Islamic countries and scholars, as well as Afghan scholars and political figures. Advertisement The Taliban movement needs a reform, said Farhadi. It is slow to come and it is frustrating for everyone involved. But we mustnt give up. A Ukrainian soldier holds the photograph of 47-year-old soldier Roman Valkov, during his funeral ceremony, after being killed in action, at the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Church in Lviv, western Ukraine, March 28, 2022. (Nariman El-Mofty/AP) LVIV, Ukraine Ukrainian forces claimed to have retaken a Kyiv suburb and an eastern town from the Russians in what is becoming a back-and-forth stalemate on the ground, while negotiators began assembling for another round of talks Tuesday aimed at stopping the fighting. Ahead of the talks, to be held in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country is prepared to declare its neutrality, as Moscow has demanded, and is open to compromise on the fate of the Donbas, the contested region in the countrys east. Advertisement The mayor of Irpin, a northwestern Kyiv suburb that has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting near the capital, said Monday that the city has been liberated from Russian troops. Irpin gained wide attention after photos circulated of a mother and her two children who were killed by shelling as they tried to flee, their bodies lying on the pavement with luggage and a pet carrier nearby. Advertisement And a senior U.S. defense official said the U.S. believes the Ukrainians have retaken the town of Trostyanets, south of Sumy, in the east. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. intelligence assessments, said Russian forces largely remained in defensive positions near the capital, Kyiv, and were making little forward progress elsewhere in the country. The official said Russia appeared to be de-emphasizing ground operations near Kyiv and concentrating more on the Donbas, the predominantly Russian-speaking region where Moscow-backed rebels have been waging a separatist war for the past eight years. Late last week, with its forces bogged down in parts of the country, Russia seemed to scale back its war aims, saying its main goal was gaining control of the Donbas. While that suggested a possible face-saving exit strategy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, it also raised Ukrainian fears that the Kremlin intends to split the country in two and force it to surrender a swath of its territory. Meanwhile, a cyberattack knocked Ukraines national telecommunications provider Ukrtelecom almost completely offline. The chief of Ukraines state service for special communication, Yurii Shchyhol, blamed the enemy without specifically naming Russia and said most customers were cut off from telephone, internet and mobile service so that coverage could continue for Ukraines military. Also Monday, an oil depot in western Ukraines Rivne region was hit by a missile attack, the governor said. It was the second attack on oil facilities in the region near the Polish border. In recent days, Ukrainian troops have pushed the Russians back in other sectors. Advertisement In the city of Makariv, near a strategic highway west of the capital, Associated Press reporters saw the carcass of a Russian rocket launcher, a burned Russian truck, the body of a Russian soldier and a destroyed Ukrainian tank after fighting there a few days ago. In the nearby village of Yasnohorodka, the AP witnessed positions abandoned by Ukrainian soldiers who had moved farther west, but no sign of Russian troops. And on Friday, the U.S. defense official said the Russians were no longer in full control of Kherson, the first major city to fall to Moscows forces. The Kremlin denied it had lost full control of the southern city. Russia has long demanded that Ukraine drop any hope of joining NATO, which Moscow sees as a threat. Zelenskyy, for his part, has stressed that Ukraine needs security guarantees of its own as part of any deal. Over the weekend, Zelenskyy said he is ready to agree to neutrality. He also said that Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt, while suggesting at the same time that compromise might be possible over the complex issue of Donbas. The Ukrainian leader has suggested as much before but rarely commented so extensively. That could create momentum for the talks, for which the Russian delegates arrived in Istanbul on Monday, Turkish media reported. Still, it was not clear how a compromise on the Donbas would square with maintaining Ukraines territorial integrity. Advertisement In other developments: President Joe Biden made no apologies for calling for Putins ouster, saying he was expressing his moral outrage, not a new U.S. policy. Over the weekend, Biden said, For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power. On Monday, the president said: Im not walking anything back. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he has launched an effort to achieve a humanitarian cease-fire that would allow aid to be brought in and people to move around safely. Russias invasion has most Americans at least somewhat worried that the U.S. will be drawn directly into the conflict and could be targeted with nuclear weapons, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The Group of Seven major economies rejected a Kremlin demand that some countries pay in rubles for Russias natural gas. That demand appeared designed to support the Russian currency, which is under pressure from Western sanctions. Earlier talks, both by video and in person, have failed to make progress on ending the more than month-old war that has killed thousands and driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes. That includes almost 4 million who have fled the country. Advertisement In the besieged southern port of Mariupol, the mayor said half the pre-war population of more than 400,000 has fled, often under fire, during weeks of shooting and shelling. Alina Beskrovna, who escaped the city in a convoy of cars and made it to Poland, said desperate people are melting snow for water and cooking on open fires despite the risk of bombardment, because if you dont, you will have nothing to eat. A lot of people are just, I think, starving to death in their apartments right now with no help, she said. Its a mass murder thats happening at the hands of the Russians. Putins ground forces have become bogged down because of stronger-than-expected Ukrainian resistance, combined with what Western officials say are Russian tactical missteps, poor morale, shortages of food, fuel and cold weather gear, and other problems. Moscow has resorted to pummeling Ukrainian cities with artillery and airstrikes. In Stoyanka village near Kyiv, Ukrainian soldier Serhiy Udod said Russian troops had taken up defensive positions and suffered heavy losses. The Russians probably thought it would be like Crimea, which the Kremlin annexed in 2014. But here its not like in Crimea. We are not happy to see them. Here they suffer and get killed. Advertisement Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Nebi Qena in Kyiv, Cara Anna in Lviv and Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report. Officer Mahir Mike Affaneh panicked after he heard Mayor Lori Lightfoot make a statement in October that officers might have to go on a no-pay status if they refused to be vaccinated. Affaneh, 53, who had worked as a Chicago police officer for 26 years, had not had the shot at the time and couldnt afford to go without pay. So two days later, he retired. Advertisement It was a hasty decision that he now regrets, he said, but it made him one of more than 660 Chicago police officers who retired and collected their pensions in 2021, according to data from the Policemens Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago. The number is about double from 2018, when about 350 officers retired and collected their pensions. A lot of people left early for their reasons, but the morale is down in the department for sure, Affaneh said, adding that officers have left due to working long hours, having their days off canceled and the department being short-staffed. Advertisement While CPD leaders said the retirement rate has now stabilized, experts warned such a large number of more senior officers exiting may contribute to a brain drain at the top of the department. The reasons for officer departures have been numerous, experts said, from citizens having a negative view of police in the wake of major police misconduct cases, such as the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, to officers being placed under new scrutiny, to vaccine mandates. Sean Malinowski, the University of Chicago Crime Labs director of policing innovation and reform, said organizations like CPD losing experienced officers and supervisors means that some of those who set the agenda and policies over time are now gone. If the department is losing those people, its going to impair its ability to make policy changes the public is demanding and those called for by the consent decree the department finds itself under. As the department loses some in supervisory ranks, such as sergeants and lieutenants, there are fewer leaders confronting risk-management issues, Malinowski said, and it is those with more experience who younger officers look up to and count on to sustain proposed cultural changes. Police work the scene where an officer shot a person in the leg on the 4500 block of South Drexel Boulevard in the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago on July 25, 2021. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Its a difficult thing to do when you have a department like Chicago thats so steeped in tradition, he said. And I think now about 12,000 officers, that have been (a) relatively insular organization, very difficult to change that culture, and then compounded by the fact that youre losing some stability at the top ranks and at the supervisory ranks. James Alan Fox, a Northeastern University criminologist, said theres a nationwide issue of departments not being able to keep recruitment up with retirements. Many departments have also had big budget cuts, which affect hiring, too. Officers today, perhaps more than ever, run the risk of being harmed on the job, Fox said, while also facing being suspended, fired or even prosecuted for split-second decisions made on the street. And I ask the question, who wants to become a cop these days? he said. Effect on crime fighting? Chicago police Superintendent David Brown has pushed back on the narrative that officers are leaving in droves. Advertisement Brown has said the average attrition rate for CPD is 3% to 5% annually, and the only recent spike occurred in 2021, when the rate rose to about 8.5%. Brown called it a misconception that 2020 was a particularly bad year for officer exits, noting the attrition rate was 4%. Still, its clear the perception of police has changed since the mid-2010s, and certainly after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. Despite knowing many officers who did not agree with the officer who was convicted with Floyds murder, Malinowski said the public perception of police has turned so negative that a lot of people are walking away from policing because of it. I think it leads to an identity crisis for some officers, Malinowski said. And theyre like, Well, you know what, I joined for the right reasons. I saw this as a vocation where I wanted to help people, I want to save people. If thats not what they think were doing, I might as well go find another job. Chicago police Superintendent David Brown, from left, First Deputy Superintendent Eric Carter and Chief of Operations Brian McDermott arrive at a news conference at police headquarters on March 22, 2022. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Some police leaders have said the requirements for officers to be vaccinated has only accelerated the rate of officers looking to leave. Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President John Catanzara has said there would be a bloodbath in Chicago if his predictions of a mass resignation due to the vaccination mandate come true. Advertisement As of March 21, following the first vaccination deadline for city employees on March 13, only 14 Chicago police members were on no-pay status for not reporting their vaccination status into the portal and two were on no-pay status for failing to comply with the vaccine mandate. Catanzara said via text message March 21 that the unions stance hasnt changed despite the numbers so far. This department and city are facing a crisis, he said. Despite the departures, experts say that a modest drop in the number of police likely wont have much of an effect on crime, especially if officers are being deployed well and used effectively. But other more intangible, unmeasurable consequences could occur. Some retirees should be retiring, because at a certain point, they may not be as effective as they were in their prime, Fox said. But some who have a lot of experience walk out the door, which could hurt. It also depends on what units people are leaving and where cuts are being made. In terms of just the numbers, obviously, if theres a huge drop in the number of police officers, that will have an effect (on crime); a modest drop will not. Its all a matter of deployment, not just numbers, he said. How do you use the people that you have, and how effective are they? Advertisement Fox said certain crimes are more affected by a large attrition than others. Crimes that are not typically observed by the police, like homicides and sexual assaults, shouldnt be more or less deterred by the number of police officers. But other crimes, like those involving the drug trade, could be deterred by police patrolling hot spots. While there have been some studies that show the modest impacts on the amount of police officers and crimes, Fox said that impact is generally washed out by the general fluctuations of crime rates. Unless youre talking about huge drops in the police size, then anyone who thinks that its just going to be doomsday is sort of jumping the gun, he said. The sky is not falling The attrition rate was affected by pandemic restrictions on class sizes at the citys police academy, Brown said, a factor that is now reversing. A COVID-19 outbreak occurred at the police academy in the summer of 2020, which caused the academy to shut down for cleaning and mitigation. At the time, online tests were not available for applicants, but an online portal was created in 2021. So about 18 months of not having an in-person test for police officers really is the aggregate of what is now two years of attrition on top of each other, Brown said of efforts to rebuild the police ranks. Advertisement Chicago Police Department recruits stand at attention as police Superintendent David Brown leaves after welcoming them back to the CPD Education and Training Academy on July 6, 2020, as they resume their training with social distancing and safety precautions in place. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) At a news conference earlier this month, Brown announced that the department is waiving the requirement for 60 hours of college credit to apply to be a Chicago police officer for those who have had careers in the social services, health care services, professional trade industry, licensed professional security or education or those who worked as a correctional officer, peace officer or detention officer. The New York City Police Department requires 60 hours of college credits, but other departments such as those in Los Angeles and Philadelphia only require high school diplomas, Brown said. Brown said he hopes this waiver will expand the pool of candidates and bring in more diverse applicants. At a news conference this week, Brown said the department received 400 candidates on the day of the announcement, and the department has had more than 3,000 applicants since January to fill about 1,100 vacancies. Encouraging news, Brown said. A lot more work to do, but the skys not falling. Lowering standards Former Officer Affaneh said there are probably a lot of good people out there who dont have college experience who could be good cops if they went through the proper background investigations and have good common sense. Advertisement Many departments in addition to CPD have also been mitigating the departures by using more aggressive recruitment tactics and changing the application requirements such as waiving or lowering the amount of college credits needed. Although, some experts warn that lowering the educational standards for applicants or loosening background checks could cause issues later. Fox, of Northeastern, said that if departments lower their standards, they run the risk of having people who simply are not as qualified. When asked if there was anything departments could do to attract more well-qualified candidates, Fox said that besides raising salaries, departments can try to change the general publics attitude toward policing. But its a slow process, he said. Malinowski, of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, said there were times in the 1980s and 1990s when departments made changes in application requirements to attract more applicants, such as doing less rigorous background checks, that led to problems 10 or 15 years down the line. You can find evidence that in police departments across the country is that when there is pressure to recruit, they loosen up sometimes, and then later, theyll call a blue-ribbon panel together to say, Hey, what happened here? How do we have this corruption in the particular city or how did we have this misconduct come about? Malinowski said. And oftentimes, when they deconstruct it, theyll say, Well, some of these folks came in during a period of time when we, admittedly, maybe needed you, but we had to loosen up the standards or weaken backgrounds. Ralph Cilento, a retired NYPD lieutenant commander of detectives who is now an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said lowering the standards for becoming a police officer can be harmful. Advertisement As a citizen of Chicago, dont you want smarter, better-educated, more mature cops? Of course we all do, but instead of treating the cops correctly, they dumb down the police department. The dumbing down of the police is the worst thing ever, he said. Theyre doing that to combat high retirements and low recruitments because nobody wants the job. People that can leave, will leave People traditionally havent left policing until theyve had at least 20 years on the job, but the latest trend has been defying that, Malinowski said. Some officers with only a few years on the job have been opting to go to suburban departments. Thats troubling because thats a hedge against losing talent. We spend a lot of money in Chicago and other cities to train police officers, so we have a huge investment in those officers both coming out of the academy and then as we continue to train them and they get experience on the job, Malinowski said. So if we dont get a full 20-plus years out of them, you dont get as much of a return on your investments as a city. Malinowski said that when it comes to cultural change and improving police service, the general recommendation is to have more education for officers coming on the job, not less. The issue of not being able to find recruits is unusual because, typically, there are many more recruits than spots, but thats no longer the case. Especially in Chicago, experts said it is psychologically difficult to be an officer while responding to trauma every day, and feeling like theyre not accepted in society or making a difference. Advertisement Cilento,ofJohn Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the older officers are when they get on the job, the fewer chances they are willing to take. So bottom line is that there is a scorched-earth policy when it comes to police, Cilento said. All of this anti-police sentiment is all manifesting itself in people that can leave, will leave. So you know, people are not going to do 28, 30 years anymore. Theyre hitting their minimum requirement and getting out. It was fun Mahir Affaneh joined the Chicago Police Department in December 1995 and started as an officer in the Wentworth District. He retired after working in forensics for the last four years. He and his family are from Jordan, but they moved to the Chicago Lawn neighborhood when he was 2 years old. The reason I retired early was kind of a mistake, he said. I tried to get back on. I tried to meet with the mayor. I made the request over and over since that first day I retired. ... They have a policy that once you retire, theres no coming back. Mahir "Mike" Affaneh, seen at his home in Chicago on March 21, 2022, retired from the Chicago Police Department but is seeking to rejoin the force. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Affaneh said he panicked when Lightfoot said unvaccinated officers could go on no-pay status because he couldnt afford it. But Affaneh changed his mind after seeing family members get vaccinated, and he plans on getting vaccinated, too. He also realized that he wouldve had better insurance benefits had he stayed on. I shouldve took my time before I actually decided to retired, but I just didnt, he said. Advertisement According to the citys Human Resources Department, retirements are final, and one would have to reapply by the Police Departments current standards to be reinstated, but Affaneh is now beyond the 40-year-old cutoff for applicants. In retirement, Affaneh said hes been spending time at home with his family he has five children, ages 13 to 33 but he misses his co-workers and bosses. It is what it is, he said. It was fun. It was my fault. I cant blame nobody else. pfry@chicagotribune.com Twitter @paigexfry A CTA Red Line train sits at the 95th Street station on March 27, 2022, where a man who was allegedly disturbing Red Line riders early Saturday morning was shot and wounded by a CTA employee. The 37-year-old suffered gunshot wounds to the back, abdomen and leg and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) A judge on Sunday denied bail to an on-duty Chicago Transit Authority customer assistant captured on video shooting a man following a brief fight at the Red Line 95th Street terminal. Prosecutors said Sylvester Adams, 53, fired nine shots at the intoxicated 37-year-old man at the station, 15 W. 95th St., early Saturday morning. A viral video showed the man shoving Adams down to the floor of the terminal before Adams allegedly pulled a handgun and fired several shots toward the victim who had descended a staircase. Advertisement Adams, of Lynwood, is facing attempted murder and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon charges connected to the shooting. The shooting occurred at the end of a series of scuffles and confrontations, prosecutors said during a bail hearing broadcast on YouTube. Advertisement The 37-year-old victim, who was unarmed and clearly intoxicated, according to prosecutors, had hurled threats at Adams and a co-worker who were inside a locked kiosk, prosecutors said. The man then became combative with people waiting for the train, authorities said. Adams left the kiosk with a hammer in his hand and confronted the 37-year-old man, prosecutors said. The younger man shoved Adams to the floor and Adams tried to hit the man with the hammer but missed and was kicked in the face, prosecutors said. The 37-year-old man then retreated down to the train platform level. A passenger filmed Adams as he stood up, pulled out a handgun and followed the victim and then opened fire at the top of the stairwell. The man was struck in the back, abdomen and his lower right leg, but is expected to recover from his wounds, prosecutors said. After shooting the man, Adams returned to the kiosk and told his co-worker that his life was over, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said CTA surveillance clearly showed the victim retreating away from Adams before the shots were fired. Adams was also captured on police body-worn camera admitting to shooting the man, authorities said. Adams court-appointed attorney Joshua Nathan asked the court to reject the states mandatory no bail request, noting that Adams didnt have a criminal background and had a valid firearm owners identification card, and that the victim accosted Adams and several other riders before the shooting. He also indicated that his client could face a lighter sentence if he can prove during trial that the shooting occurred as a result of sudden and intense passion. In denying bail, Judge Barbara L. Dawkins said there was overwhelming evidence against Adams, including video and his own statements, adding that he potentially put lives in danger by bringing a gun to work and firing shots on one of the busiest L platforms in the city. Advertisement Bullets dont have names. They dont have addresses. Firing multiple shots down a stairwell, putting not just this complaining witness at risk, but anyone who was in the vicinity at risk, the judge said. In a statement, the CTA said Adams was in violation of several workforce rules, including one that prohibits the possession of a gun, and the agency was pursuing his termination. Adams is expected to return to court next week. A well-known video game designer and his wife have given DePaul University its largest donation in the schools history to advance the universitys College of Computing and Digital Media, officials said. Eugene Jarvis and his wife, Sasha Gerritson, a DePaul alumna and trustee, donated the funds that will create a student center for innovation and collaboration, an endowed scholarship and a research collaboration with the Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness, the university said in a news release Monday. Advertisement DePaul called the donation a transformative act of generosity that will have a profound impact on our students. Video arcade game developer Eugene Jarvis talks about his first creations more than 30 years ago while demonstrating their play techniques at his home in Glenview on Nov. 28, 2012. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) A DePaul spokesperson declined to release the gift amount, citing the wishes of the donor. The universitys previous largest donation was a $30 million gift from Chicago philanthropist Richard Driehaus in 2012 for its College of Commerce, a spokesperson said. Advertisement The College of Computing and Digital Media includes more than 5,400 undergraduate and graduate students, according to the university. It offers programs for computer science, cybersecurity, data science, game design and other areas. The college will be renamed the Eugene P. Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media, the release said. Eugene and Sashas legacy gift ensures CDM will continue to empower generations of student leaders and innovators for years to come, helping build a brighter collective future, said DePaul President A. Gabriel Esteban. Jarvis was born in Californias Silicon Valley and after college was hired by Atari. He has designed a number of successful arcade video games, such as Defender and Robotron, according to a 2012 Tribune profile. He now leads the Skokie-based video game company Raw Thrills. In 2008, Jarvis was named the first game-designer-in-residence at DePaul, where he worked with student developers. Sasha and I are thrilled to help one of DePauls most exciting, vital colleges expand its innovative, collaborative, hands-on programs, Jarvis said in the news release. mabuckley@chicagotribune.com Marine Corps veteran Justin Wigg was suffering from anger issues and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, but traditional medicine had been little help. So last fall, he traveled to Peru for a treatment that isnt legal in Illinois at least not yet. It was a psychedelic, tea-like drink called ayahuasca, brewed from two tropical plants, and it produced hallucinations that Wigg, a Chicagoan, compared to Alice in Wonderland meets Fantasia. On the second of four ceremonial sessions, he said, he met a spirit figure called Mother Ayahuasca who lifted his burden. Advertisement I asked her to help with anger, and it was like the snap of a fingers, just gone, he recalled. I wasnt angry anymore, which I know sounds crazy, but thats the best way I can describe it. Marine Corps veteran Justin Wigg is part of the effort for the decriminalization of psychedelic plants such as ayahuasca and psilocybin. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Such treatments are gaining respect from researchers around the world, who have found natural psychedelics to be promising remedies against depression, anxiety and even alcohol dependence. But the federal government still considers them to have no legitimate medical purpose, which makes the plants illegal to grow, sell or consume. Advertisement A coalition of therapists, patients and advocates wants to change that in Illinois. Theyre working with state Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, to draft a bill that would decriminalize plant-based psychedelics and create a framework through which counselors, religious healers and others could use one of the drugs, psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, therapeutically. Though police in Illinois make few arrests for drugs such as mescaline, ibogaine or psilocybin, Ford said it would be wise to get in front as the plants popularity grows. Theres no reason not to think about this right now, Ford said. Some people in the mental health profession are asking for a new approach. We dont need to have another situation where people are being criminalized like they were with marijuana. Others urge caution, saying more studies are needed to understand the risks and benefits of the powerful drugs. Dr. Danesh Alam, a Chicago psychiatrist and member of the Illinois Psychiatric Society, said that while some research is promising, hes concerned about people using psychedelics in a risky way. More and more, he said, he is seeing patients whose psilocybin consumption has led to inappropriate or even criminal behavior. We need to be more cautious, he said. Expanding therapies is important but we need to be careful and study all aspects before we do it. Promising research Psychedelic plants have been part of religious rituals for thousands of years, and along with the synthetic hallucinogen LSD, became a fixture of the American counterculture in the 1960s. But the federal government made many of the compounds illegal in the early 1970s, stymying research into their potential benefits. That started to pick up again around the turn of the century, prompted by encouraging results from European scientists. Matthew Johnson, the Susan Hill Ward professor in psychedelics and consciousness at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said his lab has found that psilocybin helps people quit smoking and recover from depression and anxiety. Advertisement He said that contrary to traditional psychiatric meds, psilocybin can produce enduring changes after just a few doses. The evidence suggests mystical experiences help people gain a new perspective on their issues, he said. We think the long-term biological changes will be similar to those with successful psychotherapy, he said. Essentially, the person has learned something about this problematic behavior in their life and changed their life as a result. Diana Dalnes said one session with psilocybin helped her heal from depression that has haunted her for years. State Rep. La Shawn Ford is drafting a bill that would decriminalize the use of psychedelics in Illinois. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Thats what happened with Diana Dalnes, a Chicagoan who struggled with depression and anxiety for years. After a positive but exhausting experience with ketamine, an anesthetic that can produce out-of-body sensations, she tried psilocybin mushrooms at a rural retreat last year. She did yoga and breathing exercises and then drank a small dose brewed into tea. When the drug took hold, she said, she felt a sense of wisdom, serenity and oneness with the universe, resulting in a lasting change to her mood. I dont overreact, she said. I dont get so angry. Im just a calmer person. Anyone who knows me could see the difference. The retreat was billed as a religious gathering, which put it into a legal gray area. Following a Supreme Court decision that permitted adherents of a small church to use ayahuasca during ceremonies, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration allowed people to seek religious exemptions from the Controlled Substances Act. Advertisement No one in Illinois has made such a request, a DEA spokesperson said, but George Lake, a Louisiana attorney who advises religious groups about psychedelics, contends the agencys blessing isnt necessary given the Constitutions guarantee of religious liberty. On a practical level, he said, law enforcement makes few arrests related to the ritual use of psychedelics. I think for the most part, when they figure out these people are involved in a religious exercise, theyre more or less hands-off, he said. Mixed results Chicago photographer Matt Kosterman didnt start using psychedelics for spiritual reasons. He wanted a remedy for physical problems such as pain, muscle stiffness and food sensitivities that had defied traditional medical interventions. After reading journalist Michael Pollans 2018 book on psychedelics, How to Change Your Mind, he tried psilocybin mushrooms. From there, sometimes on his own, sometimes under the guidance of a therapist, he moved on to ayahuasca, the synthetic drugs MDMA and LSD and even the psychoactive secretions of a desert toad. The Sonoran Desert Toad at Tumamoc Desert Laboratory in Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2022. It contains psychoactive secretions. (Adam Riding/The New York Times) He said the sessions helped him conquer his ailments, which he concluded were psychosomatic, and make peace with traumatic episodes in his past. There has been no downside, he said. Advertisement My career is going well, Ive forgiven (people who mistreated him) and deepened friendships, he said. And its fun. I enjoy it. But not all psychedelic experiences are so benign. Johnson said the substances can cause cardiovascular problems on rare occasions, including heart attacks. People under the influence can also be vulnerable to sexual abuse or endanger themselves during a bad trip, he said. He said physicians should be involved as a precaution if the plants are being used to address physical or psychological issues. Someones medical license needs to be on the line if somethings not done right, he said. The draft of the Illinois bill, however, says people who lead psilocybin sessions wont need a medical degree or even a bachelors degree, though they will have to pass a licensing exam. Psychologist Geoff Bathje of Adler University and Chicagos Sana Healing Collective, which consults with people who use psychedelics, said backers of the bill want to ensure equity by allowing a broad range of practitioners. Advertisement People could get trained in their own community instead of going to medical school, a pathway thats very long and expensive and makes the service expensive, too, he said. It can be done safely in a much less complicated way. An early model Ford said the bill could go through many changes before he introduces it in the legislature, probably next year. Meanwhile, other states and cities are going ahead with their own versions. The leader is Oregon, which passed a ballot measure in 2020 to permit psilocybin services. But Sam Chapman, who led the campaign, said take-home doses wont be allowed when the law takes hold next year: Sessions must take place at a licensed facility. We know its all eyes on Oregon, and that means while the program wont be perfect out of the gate, it needs to have a solid foundation to act as a model for other states to follow, he said. Jean Lacy of the Illinois Psychedelic Society anticipates plenty of pushback once the Illinois bill is introduced, but said that will offer an opportunity to educate people about substances still cloaked in mystery and suspicion. The more were honest about it, the more conversations we have, the better that we can help the general public and lawmakers understand that people are engaging with these substances with much more prevalence than we realize, and they deserve to do so safely, she said. Advertisement jkeilman@chicagotribune.com Twitter @JohnKeilman China's Tianzhou-2 cargo craft leaves space station core module Xinhua) 08:10, March 28, 2022 Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 27, 2022 shows the Shenzhou-13 astronauts watching the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft leaving the core module of China's Tiangong space station.(Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China's cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-2 separated from the core module of the country's space station Sunday afternoon, announced the China Manned Space Agency. At 3:59 p.m. Beijing Time, Tianzhou-2 left the core module of the Tiangong space station after completing all of its scheduled tasks, said the agency. During its operation in orbit, Tianzhou-2 carried out a series of extended application tests. It is now in good condition, and will enter the Earth's atmosphere at an appropriate time under ground control, the agency added. Tianzhou-2 is the first cargo ship sent into space in the key-technology verification phase of China's space station. Carrying 6.8 tonnes of supplies for the space station, it was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of the southern island province of Hainan on May 29, 2021. Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 27, 2022 shows the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft leaving the core module of China's Tiangong space station. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 27, 2022 shows the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft leaving the core module of China's Tiangong space station. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng) (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) Nicole Lee is sworn in as the new 11th Ward alderman during a special Chicago City Council meeting on March 28, 2022. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) The Chicago City Council without dissent confirmed Nicole Lee as the next alderman of the 11th Ward on Monday, following Mayor Lori Lightfoots selection of the United Airlines director for the vacant seat. Advertisement The conclusion of the vetting process arrived more than a month after the conviction of ex-Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, which required him under state law to resign from the 11th Ward immediately. Following a 45-0 final vote Monday to approve Lees appointment, Lightfoot quipped, This is a nail biter before the new alderman was sworn in. Advertisement Lee then kicked off her first formal address to her colleagues by declaring, While more and more people with kids my age are leaving the city, Im firmly committed to my beloved Chinatown, Bridgeport and the greatest city in this country and arguably the world: the city of Chicago. Here are a few things to know about Lee, from her early years in Chinatown to her past two decades working corporate jobs. Nicole Lee is sworn in as the new 11th Ward alderman during a special Chicago City Council meeting on March 28, 2022. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Lees appointment is historic for the Asian American community and the 11th Ward Lee is first Asian American woman and the first Chinese American to serve as a Chicago alderman. There is currently no Asian representation in Chicago City Council; Ameya Pawar, who represented the majority-white North Side 47th Ward for two terms, had been the citys only Asian American alderman. The 11th ward, which was traditionally an Irish American enclave and home to the Daley familys political dynasty Daley Thompson is a nephew of former Mayor Richard M. Daley also stands to see historic milestones in Lees appointment. She will be the first woman to represent that ward as well as its first Asian American alderman. This comes as Bridgeport has recently seen those of Asian descent surpass whites to make up the largest share of residents, according to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekdays. Figures from the 2020 U.S. census show Asian Americans as the fastest-growing racial group in Chicago a pivotal breakthrough for leaders in that community who have clamored for the citys first majority-Asian ward to include Bridgeport and Chinatown during the current decennial remap process. Though that outcome is all but guaranteed by the proposed map options, Lee has so far declined to answer questions about whether she supports a majority-Asian ward, saying when introduced Thursday that she needs a little bit of grace to learn the ropes. Advertisement On Monday, at the rules committee meeting preceding the floor vote, Ald. David Moore attempted to gauge Lees position on the ward remapping process, but she said she wanted more time before taking a stance. When Ald. Emma Mitts asked whether Lee will represent the Asians or all of the 11th ward, Lee said: Im here to represent the interests of every single person in the 11th Ward regardless of whether or not they eat rice at night for dinner. Lee said last week that shell prioritize three concerns if sworn in: city services, public safety and education. On Monday, she responded to a similar question from Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who represents Chinatown for now but may lose the neighborhood in redistricting, by repeating: Safety, safety, safety. A background in business and philanthropy, Lee once filed for bankruptcy Lees latest job entails managing Uniteds relationships with charities and spearheading fundraising campaigns, and shes done similar social engagement work at Premier Bank and BP America. She described the roles as leading corporate social responsibility and spoke of being on the front lines of volunteer efforts following hurricanes, earthquakes, refugee crises as well as mass shootings. Before that, she majored in public policy at Indiana University and earned a masters degree in the same field at the University of Chicago. Still, Lee said she never dreamed of going into politics, much less becoming an alderman, until now. We need more people that are willing to step up and take roles like these, Lee said Thursday. We cant as an Asian American community want political power and be unwilling to produce and inspire young people. Advertisement Lee petitioned for bankruptcy in 2016, but a federal trustee objected to her filing in March 2017. The trustee argued that Lee would be able to pay off her debts without the filing, as first reported by WBEZ. Nicole Lee speaks at a news conference with Mayor Lori Lightfoot after being sworn in March 28, 2022, as the new 11th Ward alderman and the first Asian American woman in Chicago City Council history. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Asked about the episode at a news conference, Lee said she got advice from counsel that probably wasnt going to be beneficial to me and, unfortunately, thats the way it went. My case was dismissed, not discharged. I settled my debts. Theyre completely paid, Lee said. Asked if residents should be concerned about the bankruptcy filing, Lee said she hopes they give her an opportunity to do the job and judge her by her actions. I dont think the 11th Ward residents should be concerned about that, and if they are, good for them, they should be, and I should be held accountable for everything I do in representing the ward, Lee said. I hope the residents of the 11th Ward give me an opportunity to show them in my actions. Lee, as well as generations of her family, have deep roots in Chinatown Lee, 47, said her upbringing in the 11th Wards section of Chinatown, where she still lives, made me who I am. A single mom, Lee now raises her two sons as the fourth generation to reside in her family home. Advertisement The influences of growing up in a Chinese American enclave are reflected in Lees resume, too. Lee, who is fluent in Cantonese, has led the Chinese Mutual Aid Association, the Local School Council at Haines Elementary School in Chinatown and the Chicago chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans. Her father is Gene Lee, a top mayoral aide when Richard M. Daley was in office. Gene Lee was convicted in 2014 of stealing from charities. The crime did not involve his duties as Daleys deputy chief of staff. Nicole Lees father was also known as the Mayor of Chinatown for his philanthropic activities, and during his sentencing dozens of neighborhood supporters erupted into cheers when he avoided a prison sentence. Lee reiterated on Thursday that her father was a role model who taught her the value of community service. I saw my father serve the public for 30 years, driving the streets, taking the long way home, checking the lights, making sure stuff was picked up, taking calls at all hours of the night, Lee said. Thats what he did. He was not an elected official, but he was somebody in the ward, in our community, that people can look to. A product of Chicago Public Schools, Lee led a Local School Council in Chinatown In introducing her pick, Lightfoot said Lees experience at Chicago Public Schools first Mark Sheridan Math and Science Academy, then Whitney Young Magnet High School was a pivotal moment in her awakening a passion for diversity and inclusion. That remained a priority in her years as chair of Haines Local School Council, where she served until 2021. The elementary schools principal, Catherine Amy Moy Davis, said Thursday that Lee fought for equity. Advertisement Whitney Young opened the world to me, and it was an incredible experience. But it also didnt come without a good dose of reality, Lee said. When I was there, I truly learned the value of inclusion. It was there that for the first time I was often the only Asian American in the room. ayin@chicagotribune.com gpratt@chicagotribune.com 1. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the third Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan in Tunxi, Anhui on March 30 and 31. Foreign Ministers or representatives of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will attend the meeting. Subsequently, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan Plus Afghanistan Foreign Ministers Dialogue. Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi of the Afghan interim government will attend the Dialogue upon invitation, and the foreign ministers of Indonesia and Qatar will be invited as guests. 2. At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno L. P. Marsudi of Indonesia, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai of Thailand, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. of the Philippines and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin of Myanmar will visit China respectively from March 31 to April 3. Minister of Foreign Affairs Erika Mouynes of Panama will visit China on April 4. Xinhua News Agency:What is Chinas expectation of the third Foreign Ministers Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan under the current circumstances? Wang Wenbin: The Afghan situation is now in a critical transition from chaos to order, with the Afghan people still facing multiple challenges from within and outside that need to be addressed with more support and help from others. By hosting the third Foreign Ministers Meeting among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, China looks forward to pooling more consensus on the Afghan issue from neighboring countries, discussing ways to jointly stabilize the Afghan situation and support and help the Afghan people, and share our voice with the rest of the international community as neighbors of Afghanistan. By hosting the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan Plus Afghanistan Foreign Ministers Dialogue, we hope to further understand the Afghan peoples difficulties and needs, convey neighboring countries concerns on the Afghan issue, and work on the Afghan side to build an open and inclusive political structure, follow moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies and earnestly combat terrorism. In the meantime, we also expect the international community to give greater support to Afghanistan and call on the US to shoulder the primary responsibility for Afghanistans economic reconstruction in real earnest. The Paper: What is Chinas consideration behind its inviting of the four ASEAN countries foreign ministers for a visit? Does China have any expectation for this visit? Wang Wenbin: Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar are important ASEAN members and Chinas friendly neighbors and important partners for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Since COVID-19 broke out, China has maintained regular exchanges and communication with ASEAN countries in a flexible manner, continuously deepened cooperation on COVID-19 and economic recovery, stood together to overcome difficulties and seek common development. The upcoming visit of the four foreign ministers again demonstrates the close and friendly relations between China and its ASEAN neighbors and the high importance all sides attach to advancing China-ASEAN cooperation. This year marks the starting year of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership. Through this visit, China hopes to work with all parties to ensure the sound implementation of the outcomes and consensus of the ASEAN-China Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations last year, promote the materialization of the Global Development Initiative in neighboring countries first, and jointly build a peaceful, tranquil, prosperous, beautiful and friendly homeland. China will also have in-depth exchanges of views with all parties on the current regional and international situation and contribute more positive energy to regional peace and stability and global prosperity and development. Reuters: On Sunday, US President Joe Biden clarified that the United States does not have a policy of regime change in Russia after its declaration that Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot remain in power. Does the foreign ministry have any comment? Wang Wenbin: We noted relevant reports. I want to stress that dialogue and negotiation is the only right path to resolving the Ukraine issue. Its a pressing task for all parties to ease the situation, promote peace talks and stop the fighting, rather than escalate tensions. On major issues concerning peace and stability in Europe and the world at large, all parties should speak and act responsibly and play a constructive role. CCTV: An ad hoc flight carrying Chinese citizens evacuated from Ukraine landed safely in Fuzhou this morning. This one from Bucharest, Romanias capital, is the 20th flight that has taken Chinese citizens home from Ukraine. Can you share more information? Wang Wenbin: The CPC Central Committee and the State Council deeply care about the safety of every Chinese citizen in Ukraine ever since the situation there deteriorated. General Secretary Xi Jinping gave personal attention to and repeatedly inquired about the issue, demanding that the safety of our citizens must be ensured with all-out efforts. In his phone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed the hope that the Ukrainian side will take all necessary measures to protect Chinese citizens safety and provide guarantee and convenience for their evacuation. Committed to serving the people with real actions, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine and the Chinese Consulate General in Odessa immediately activated the emergency mechanism for consular protection, contacted Chinese compatriots in Ukraine and went to great lengths to mobilize resources with a view to protecting the safety of Chinese citizens and helping them evacuate in an orderly and safe manner in various ways. The Chinese embassies in Ukraines neighboring countries including Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Belarus worked closely with the embassy and consulate in Ukraine to facilitate the customs clearance and temporary settlement of Chinese citizens and the operation of relevant ad hoc flights. Over 5,200 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated to Ukraines neighboring countries. Except for one individual who got injured while trying to drive away from the country and has now been cured, all Chinese compatriots who wanted to leave are safe and sound. During this evacuation process amid the fighting, not a single Chinese citizen was killed and no mass injury incidents happened. The Chinese government has sent a total of 20 ad hoc flights to bring back more than 4,600 Chinese citizens who had earlier been relocated to Ukraines neighboring countries. In the meantime, all Chinese compatriots in Ukraine and neighboring countries have stood together to overcome the difficulties with mutual support. Organizations of Chinese students and associations of overseas Chinese in Ukraine have pitched in to help with the evacuations. They have carried forward the Chinese nations best tradition of helping those in distress and aiding those in peril and demonstrated the Chinese peoples fine character of solidarity and mutual assistance. As we worked on the safety and evacuation of Chinese nationals, the government and various sectors of society in Ukraine showed goodwill and provided facilitation. Countries including Russia, Moldova, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Belarus also provided invaluable support. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to governments and peoples of those countries. Now, the evacuation work has basically come to an end, but protecting the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals overseas is always an abiding commitment. Looking forward, the Foreign Ministry and Chinese diplomatic missions abroad will continue to actively improve the consular protection mechanism and build a system for the protection of Chinese nationals and interests overseas. With everything we do, we will show every one of our compatriots overseas that we stand with you at all times, wherever you may be, and your motherland will always have your back. AFP: The Philippine Coast Guard said that a China Coast Guard ship steered meters from one of its patrol vessels on March 2 in the South China Sea. And the Philippines and the US are set to stage war games. Whats your response to this? Wang Wenbin: Huangyan Dao is Chinas inherent territory. China has sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters as well as sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters. We hope that the Philippine ships will earnestly respect Chinas sovereignty and rights and interests, abide by Chinas domestic law and international law, and avoid interfering with the patrol and law enforcement of the China Coast Guard in the above-mentioned waters. Kyodo News: With regard to the Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, does State Councilor Wang Yi have any plan to hold a bilateral meeting with the Russian foreign minister? Will they talk about the Ukraine issue? Wang Wenbin: I announced the relevant information just now and have nothing more to add. CNR: According to reports, the IAEA said at an online news conference on March 25 that its technical working group visited Japan from March 21 to 25 and had meetings with Japans Nuclear Regulation Authority to review whether the monitoring activities over the discharge plan of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water conform to IAEAs safety standards. The assessment report of this visit is expected to be released in two months. What is Chinas comment? Wang Wenbin: China has been following the developments of the disposal of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water. A comprehensive, science-based and rigorous monitoring plan is conducive to the safe disposal of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water. In this regard, the Japanese side should closely cooperate with the IAEA working group. It is hoped that the IAEA can inform the international community, especially stakeholders, of the assessment on a timely basis. It is true that monitoring the disposal plan of the nuclear-contaminated water is important, but the crux of the issue is choosing the right plan to dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water. We hope the discussion of relevant monitoring arrangement can make Japan actively respond to the concerns of all parties and make the decision after fully assessing the advantages and disadvantages of all disposal plans, instead of sticking to the ocean discharge plan. I also want to stress again that Chinas support for the work of the technical working group does not mean we endorse Japans decision to release the nuclear-contaminated water into the sea. MASTV: In response to the security cooperation agreement signed by China and Solomon Islands, some officials of the US and Australia have expressed their concerns, saying they dont believe Chinas police forces need to be exported and claiming that it may undermine the current security cooperation mechanism in the Pacific region and may do no good to the island nations. What is Chinas comment on this? Wang Wenbin: I stated Chinas position on this issue last week. Normal law enforcement and security cooperation between China and Solomon Islands, two sovereign and independent countries, is consistent with international law and customary international practice. It is beyond reproach as it is beneficial to social stability and lasting security of Solomon Islands and the common interest of regional countries. I also noted that the government of Solomon Islands issued a statement which elaborated on the countrys security strategy and cooperation with other countries, expressed gratitude to the support and assistance of all development partners, and emphasized the countrys need for expanding diverse cooperation. Relevant countries should earnestly respect Solomon Islands sovereignty and its independent decisions instead of deciding what others should and should not do self-importantly and condescendingly from a privileged position. Why are some individuals concerned about China-Solomon Islands cooperation when the government and the people of Solomon Islands genuinely welcome it? Who has been sending military aircraft and vessels right to others doorsteps and flex muscles for years that severely threaten relevant countries sovereignty and security? Who has been forming military circles that bring nuclear proliferation risks to the Pacific Ocean? And who has been deliberately hyping up tension and stoking bloc confrontation that cast a pall on regional peace and stability? The international community can make a fair judgement, and the people of Solomon Islands and other Pacific island countries can see this clearly. Any attempt to disrupt and undermine mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Pacific island countries is doomed to fail. Bloomberg: Over the weekend, the Australian foreign ministry said that it had been notified by Chinese authorities that Cheng Lei will face trial on March 31. Does the foreign ministry have any more information on this trial? The second question, Bloomberg has reported that Chinese diplomats in Washington have been in contact with US counterparts asking for details on US sanctions on Russia. This has encouraged the US officials according to people familiar with the situation, though they remain wary that China may be looking for loopholes to help Russia according to the people. Does the foreign ministry have any comment? Wang Wenbin: On your first question, we have repeatedly stated our position on the individual case involving the Australian citizen. Chinas judiciary handles cases in accordance with law and fully protects the lawful rights of the person involved. As for the specifics you mentioned, I have nothing to offer you at present. Now coming to your second question, China always holds that sanctions are not fundamentally effective ways to solve problems. China stands firmly against unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction with no basis in international law and no mandate of the UN Security Council. This is Chinas consistent position in both open and closed-door meetings. History has proven once and again that instead of solving problems, sanctions create new problems. It is the ordinary people that suffer from comprehensive and indiscriminate sanctions. If ratcheted up, sanctions can also trigger serious crisis on a global scale in such fields as economy, trade, finance, energy, food, industrial and supply chains. This will make the already struggling world economy even worse and cause irreparable losses. Among the 190-plus UN member states, more than 140 did not take part in sanctions on Russia. This fact shows that the overwhelming majority of countries are handling issues related to sanctions in a prudent and responsible manner. As pointed out by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, most countries, including China and many fellow developing countries, share the view that war and sanction are not the only two choices when handling international and regional hotspot issues. It is not incumbent on the people to pay the price for geographic conflicts and major-power rivalry. The more complex the situation is, the greater the need to remain cool-headed and deliberate the consequences of actions. It is hoped that all sides can calm down to focus on promoting peace talks, rather than escalate sanctions and aggravate disputes. I have also taken note of some US media calling the US the only sanctions superpower in the world. According to the 2021 Sanctions Review published by the US Treasury, by fiscal year 2021, the US has over 9,400 effective sanction designations, which is almost 10 times the number 20 years ago. However, although the US imposes sanctions repeatedly, such moves did not help to solve problems, but only aggravate disasters and chaos. It is estimated that following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the economic sanctions on the country could take the lives of more civilians than 20 years of war in Afghanistan. I would like to stress that the problem now is not about who wants to help Russia circumvent the sanctions, but about the fact that the normal trade and economic exchanges between countries, China included, and Russia have already been unnecessarily hurt. We urge the US to take Chinas concerns seriously when handling the Ukraine issue and its relations with Russia and avoid undermining Chinas legitimate rights and interests in any way. China will take all necessary measures to firmly uphold the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and individuals. Shenzhen TV: When meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on March 27, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas stressed that the Biden administration needs to fulfill its commitment to Palestine, including its commitment to a two-state solution on the Palestine-Israel issue. On the current events in Europe, the US has shown blatant double standards, and the international community should not be silent about whats happening in Palestine. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: The Palestinian question should not be marginalized or forgotten, and the injustice lasting for over 50 years should not continue. Guided by the four-point proposal on the Palestinian question put forward by President Xi Jinping, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi came up with three specific approaches for implementing the two-state solution. China will continue to stand firmly with the Palestinian people. I want to stress that the international community should not adopt double standard on the Palestinian question and other international and regional hotspot issues. It is unacceptable double standard to sympathize with refugees in Ukraine while turning a blind eye to refugees from countries in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. It is unacceptable double standard to call acts harming civilians in Ukraine war crimes, while allowing harm done to civilians in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria to go unpunished. It is unacceptable double standard to say the attacks on Ukraine undermine the principle of respect for sovereignty, while claiming the attacks on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria are legitimate and lawful. It is unacceptable double standard to stress that sovereignty is inviolable on the Ukraine issue while claiming that human rights precede sovereignty when it comes to issues related to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Iraq. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected. The purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed. The legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously. Only when double standard is discarded can regional hotspot issues be addressed in a just manner and the enduring peace achieved in Europe and other places of the world. Reuters: Australias foreign minister on Saturday said that she hoped that Australian officials would be allowed to attend the hearing of arrested Australian journalist Cheng Lei in line with a consular agreement between the two nations. Can the foreign ministry confirm that this will be the case? Wang Wenbin: I have answered a relevant question already. AFP: On the Afghan neighboring countries meeting this week, can you confirm whether Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be attending? Wang Wenbin: I have released the relevant information just now. Foreign Ministers or representatives of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will attend the third Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan in Tunxi, Anhui on March 30 and 31. Foreign Minister Lavrov will attend the meeting upon invitation. Global Times: US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral John C. Aquilino reportedly said in an interview that the Ukraine issue has underscored the serious threat that China poses to Taiwan, and that Asian allies must take seriously the possibility. What is your comment on this? Wang Wenbin: We have stated on multiple occasions that the Taiwan question is essentially different from the Ukraine issue. The two are uncomparable. Some people in the US repeatedly link up the two unrelated things with the real agenda to smear and attack China. Such an act is ill-intentioned. As a Chinese proverb puts it, it takes more than one cold day for the river to freeze three feet deep. The current Ukraine issue is an outbreak of tension that has built up for years with Europes security as the root cause. NATOs unchecked eastward expansion warrants reflection. Facing the current situation in Ukraine, the US did nothing to reflect on the responsibility it should assume, or make efforts to cool down the situation and promote talks for peace. Instead, it has been adding fuel to the flame. When European countries are paying the price for refugees and economic volatility due to the conflict, US arms dealers and oil and gas industry have made a fortune. Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. This makes it fundamentally different from a sovereign country like Ukraine. Those in the US who deliberately compare the Taiwan question with the Ukraine issue harbor a vile intention rather than lack common sense. Their real agenda is to create a new crisis across the Taiwan Strait to serve US geopolitical and economic interests at the expense of the wellbeing of people across the Strait and regional peace and stability. But Taiwan is not Ukraine. The Chinese peoples resolve and determination to uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity is invincible. Those who play with and fan up the fire on the Taiwan question will only wind up burning themselves. Reuters: Regarding the investigation of the MU5735 plane that tragically crashed, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Wednesday that he was very encouraged by the fact that Chinese authorities had invited the US National Transportation Safety Board to take part in the investigation of the crash. However, the National Transportation Safety Board later said that it had not yet determined if the American investigators would travel to China due to visa and quarantine requirements. Does the foreign ministry have any updates on the visa situation and the visit of these US investigators? Wang Wenbin: I would like to refer you to competent authorities for the specifics you asked. What I can tell you is that China will provide necessary facilitation to foreign personnel who are approved by the Chinese side to travel to China to assist in the investigation. Bloomberg: I just wanted to check if representatives from India will participate in the Afghan neighbors forum later in March? Wang Wenbin: I have just released the relevant information. On March 20, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra in Tunxi, Anhui Province. Wang Yi congratulated Algeria on the 60th anniversary of its independence revolution, and wished Algeria new achievements on the path of its own development and revitalization. Wang Yi said, China and Algeria are friends in need, and the friendship between the two countries, forged and cultivated in common struggles, should be cherished and inherited together. We remember and thank Algeria for upholding justice and firmly supporting the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations more than 50 years ago. China stands ready to work with Algeria to carry forward the traditional friendship, strengthen strategic communication, firmly support each other in safeguarding core interests, and promote greater development of China-Algeria comprehensive strategic partnership. Lamamra congratulated China on the successful convening of the Two Sessions, saying that China is such a great country that any goals it set can be achieved on schedule, and Algeria expects China to play a greater and more important role in the world. Lamamra said that he is proud of the current high level of mutual trust in China-Algeria relations, satisfied with the outcomes of pragmatic cooperation between the two sides, and full of confidence in the development prospects of bilateral relations. Lamamra said, today's world is facing severe challenges, and humanitarian crises are worrying. In particular, the lawful rights and interests of a great number of developing countries have been violated, and they have been forced to take sides or even give up their diplomatic autonomy. This situation should not continue. Algeria and China share common historical experiences and similar stances and propositions. Both sides should cooperate closely to safeguard the basic norms governing international relations and uphold a fair and reasonable international order. The Algerian side agrees with China's views on the current Ukraine crisis. Together with dozens of countries, Algeria and China abstained from voting on the UN General Assembly resolution on Ukraine, sending a clear signal that we hope to maintain independence and are willing to give peace a chance. The Algerian side believes that China's proposition, based on international fairness and justice and aimed at promoting peace, stability and security, represents a correct and broad path. Wang Yi said, we should stay focused and confident amid the turbulent international situation. Apart from some countries that are obsessed with geopolitical games, there are many countries like China and Algeria that have long histories and civilizations and favor peace and justice. As long as we join hands and strengthen solidarity and coordination, we can vigorously promote greater democracy in international relations and push the world towards a brighter future. The two sides reached broad consensus on deepening bilateral cooperation in various fields, and agreed to sign documents on Belt and Road cooperation at an early date, continue to strengthen the synergy between development strategies, and maintain close strategic coordination on international and regional issues. The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on the Ukraine issue, the situation in the Middle East, and China's cooperation with Islamic countries and the Arab League, among others. After the talks, Wang Yi and Lamamra jointly met the press and answered questions. File photo taken on July 19, 2019 shows Hai Ying (1st L), a scientist, doing investigation on the plants of the Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Xinhua] Botanists in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have published a book on vascular plants in Tianshan Mountains. The book, Vascular Plant Checklist of Tianshan, introduces 6,784 wild vascular plants belonging to 924 genera and 117 families in the Tianshan Mountains, according to the Botanical Society of Xinjiang. The compilation of the book began in 2019, with the aim of better understanding the plant resources in the Tianshan Mountains, said Zhang Yuanming, head of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Three scientists, Pan Borong, Hai Ying and Nurbay Abdusalih, have collaborated to compile the book. The research results are considered to be the basis of the research work of various disciplines of botany in Xinjiang. The research team will work with botanists from Central Asian countries to complete another work on the plants of the Tianshan Mountains. The Tianshan Mountains, with a total length of 2,500 km, span across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China's Xinjiang. It has been inscribed on the World Heritage List as a natural site in 2013. Editor's note: An exhibition of ukiyo-e woodblock prints opened in Beijing on Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations. The exhibition "Edo Fantasy" displays 140 sets of classic ukiyo-e woodblock prints at the China Millennium Monument, which show various aspects of the life and society in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). At the same time, "The Tale of Edo Japanese Creative Market" being held alongside the exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to purchase Japanese designer stationery, kimono cosplay, snacks, and handicrafts. Ukiyo-e is a unique Japanese folk print art that flourished in Japan during the Edo period. Artists produced woodblock prints and paintings of female figures, kabuki actors, local customs, natural scenery, flowers and birds. Co-hosted by the China Millennium Monument and Beijing Wisdom Art & Culture Co. Ltd., the exhibition will run till early June. You are here: Business The share of Chinese passenger car brands in the domestic market increased in the first two months of the year, data from an industry association showed. Over 1.63 million Chinese brand passenger cars were sold in the country during the period, surging 20.3 percent year on year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The market share of these brands accounted for 44.6 percent in the country in the January-February period, up 2.2 percentage points year on year. In February alone, the sales of Chinese brand passenger cars soared 27.9 percent year on year to about 634,000 units, with a market share basically unchanged from the same period last year. A freight train left Guoyuan Port in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Saturday for Vietnam's capital Hanoi, marking the launch of a new freight train route between China and Vietnam. The route, a part of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, is expected to further facilitate trade between western China and Southeast Asia. All the products loaded in the train -- 43 containers of engines, tires, printing paper and others -- were produced in Chongqing, with a total worth of more than 3.9 million U.S. dollars. Previously, most of the goods from Chongqing and neighboring Sichuan Province to Vietnam were transported by water via Shanghai and other ports, which takes more than 20 days. The new route shortens the transport time from Chongqing to Vietnam to 4 to 5 days. It is not only time- and labor-saving, but also safer and more efficient. The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage jointly built by Singapore and provincial-level regions of western China. Chongqing Municipality is the center of operation for the corridor. China's economic hub Shanghai will launch a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. From 5 a.m. March 28 to 5 a.m. April 1, temporary closed-off management will be enforced in regions lying to the east and south of the Huangpu River, including Pudong and its adjacent areas, to carry out nucleic acid testing, according to the city's COVID-19 prevention and control office. Then from 3 a.m. on April 1 to 3 a.m. on April 5, similar temporary closed-off management and testing will be launched mainly in urban districts west of the Huangpu River. The office said the measure is taken to curb the virus spread, protect people's life and health, and achieve the dynamic zero-COVID target as soon as possible. In areas affected, closed-off management will take place in residential communities and residents will be required to stay indoors, while non-contact delivery of necessities will be allowed. Besides, all enterprises, except those necessary for ensuring the people's daily needs and the city's operation, will run under closed-off management or have their employees work from home. Meanwhile, services including bus, subway, ferry, taxi and online ride-hailing will be suspended in the areas under closed management. Flash Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Kathmandu on Sunday that China is willing to join hands with Nepal to cement friendship between the two countries and safeguard regional peace. At a meeting with Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, Wang said China cherishes the traditional friendship with Nepal that has lasted for generations. No matter how the international situation changes and what challenges emerge, China will stick to its friendly policy towards Nepal, he said. As the world is full of chaos and transformations, both sides should guard against the resurgence of the Cold War mentality in the region and jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and development, Wang said. For his part, Prachanda congratulated China on successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympic Games despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Noting that Nepal and China are connected by mountains and rivers and enjoy traditional friendship, he said the two neighbors have maintained close exchanges and sound cooperation since the establishment of their diplomatic ties. He thanked China for its strong support for Nepal's socio-economic development, as well as disaster and COVID-19 responses, and expressed readiness to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and accelerate the Belt and Road cooperation, especially in connectivity and infrastructure projects. Nepal will continue to adhere to the one-China policy and will never allow any force to use its territory to engage in any activities against China, Prachanda said. During his meeting with KP Sharma Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), Wang said both countries have been pushing forward cooperation steadily, joining hands to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and help Nepal's recovery and development, and bringing tangible benefits to the Nepali people. Wang said China cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries, never interferes in Nepal's internal affairs and always sticks to the friendly policy towards Nepal. China hopes that Nepal could maintain social and political stability, he said, adding that his country will continue to firmly support Nepal in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, exploring a development path suited to its own national conditions, and relentlessly pursuing independent domestic and foreign policies. Wang said China's development adds to a more powerful peace force and will bring new development opportunities for developing countries including Nepal, and China's neighbors in particular. Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) KP Sharma Oli in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua] Oli said Nepal and China are close by both geography and culture, and the two peoples have enjoyed a long-standing history of friendship. He expressed appreciation for China's unreserved support for Nepal in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and for its selfless assistance to help Nepal conduct socio-economic development and fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Nepal will firmly uphold the one-China policy, earnestly push for the building of the Belt and Road, deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields, and work jointly for the common goal of building the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, Oli said. He pledged to make more efforts to share governance experience with the Chinese side and raise the cooperation between the two parties and two countries to a new level. Wang left Nepal on Sunday for home to conclude his four-nation tour, which also took him to Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. You are here: World Flash Israel and Germany have signed an agreement over cooperation in the energy sector, said a joint statement issued by the two countries on Sunday. It was signed by Karine Elharrar, Israel's Energy Minister and Oliver Krischer, parliamentary state secretary at Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The signature took place after a meeting they held at the sidelines of the International Energy Agency's annual ministerial meeting in Paris. The partnership addresses common interests in advancing technologies to provide reliable, sustainable and affordable energy with emphasis on expanding renewable energy and the use of new energy technologies, said the statement. The agreement defines important areas for future cooperation, including renewable energies, cybersecurity for energy infrastructure, technological innovation, and collaboration in natural gas and in hydrogen application. Shanghai tightens COVID-19 control measures amid resurgence Xinhua) 08:13, March 28, 2022 Staff members work at a designated quarantine facility in east China's Shanghai, March 26, 2022. (Photo by Ye Jiaqi/Xinhua) SHANGHAI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China's economic hub Shanghai will launch a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. From 5 a.m. March 28 to 5 a.m. April 1, temporary closed-off management will be enforced in regions lying to the east and south of the Huangpu River, including Pudong and its adjacent areas, to carry out nucleic acid testing, according to the city's COVID-19 prevention and control office. Then from 3 a.m. on April 1 to 3 a.m. on April 5, similar temporary closed-off management and testing will be launched mainly in urban districts west of the Huangpu River. The office said the measure is taken to curb the virus spread, protect people's life and health, and achieve the dynamic zero-COVID target as soon as possible. In areas affected, closed-off management will take place in residential communities and residents will be required to stay indoors, while non-contact delivery of necessities will be allowed. Besides, all enterprises, except those necessary for ensuring the people's daily needs and the city's operation, will run under closed-off management or have their employees work from home. Meanwhile, services including bus, subway, ferry, taxi and online ride-hailing will be suspended in the areas under closed management. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) Flash Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Sunday agreed to hold the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Turkey's Istanbul city, the Turkish presidency said. The two leaders had a phone conversation on Sunday and discussed the latest situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the negotiation process, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. The two leaders "agreed that the next meeting of the negotiation teams of Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul," the statement said. During the conversation, Erdogan told Putin that a ceasefire and peace between Russia and Ukraine must be achieved as soon as possible and the humanitarian situation in the region should be improved, adding that Turkey would continue to "contribute in every possible way during this process." Earlier on Sunday, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said the next round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia will take place next week in Turkey. "Today, at the video talks, it was decided to hold the next live round by two delegations in Turkey on March 28-30," Arakhamia wrote on Facebook. Meanwhile, head of Russia's negotiation team Vladimir Medinsky said the face-to-face talks will take place on March 29-30. Ukrainian and Russian delegations have held three rounds of peace talks in-person in Belarus since Feb. 28, and the fourth one started on March 14 in a format of video conference. Previously, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, met in a resort town of Turkey's southern province of Antalya on March 10. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, was the first high-level talks between Moscow and Kiev since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on Feb. 24. During the meeting, the two sides failed to make progress on a ceasefire but agreed to continue negotiations over the conflict. You are here: World Flash Security forces in Somalia on Sunday repulsed an attack on a military base in northeast Puntland State and killed 12 militants of al-Shabab terror group, local officials said. Three soldiers of the Puntland Security Forces (PSF) died in the attack on the army base near Af-Urur village early Sunday morning, local security officials told Radio Mogadishu. Witnesses said Shabab militants fired mortar shells in the attack, which prompted heavy gunfight with security forces. In June 2017, more than 50 Puntland security forces were killed in Af-Urur in an ambush by militants who also seized control of the military camp in the village. Al-Shabab has recently launched brazen attacks on government officials, electoral delegates and civilians across the country to hamper the ongoing electoral process. Last Wednesday, the terror group mounted one of its deadliest attacks in the capital, Mogadishu, and in the regional presidential palace in the central town of Beledweyne, where more than 50 people were killed and over 100 others wounded. You are here: World Flash The Russian and Ukrainian delegations will likely meet in Turkey on Tuesday, the Kremlin said Monday. "The very fact that it was decided to continue in-person negotiations is important," local media reported, citing Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "Today, the delegation is leaving for Turkey... we expect that theoretically, talks could continue tomorrow," he said, adding that the negotiations would unlikely resume today. Peskov noted that while face-to-face negotiations are more focused, and both sides can cover more issues, there are still no clear signs of a breakthrough. Meanwhile, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, told Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Monday that the next round of peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will start on Tuesday in Turkey. The start of the negotiations has been postponed due to logistics issues, he added. On Sunday, Arakhamia wrote on Facebook that the talks will take place in Turkey on March 28-30. The Ukrainian and Russian delegations have held three rounds of negotiations in person in Belarus since Feb. 28, and the fourth one started on March 14 in the format of a video conference. Russia, Ukraine to hold new round of peace talks Xinhua) 08:14, March 28, 2022 Photo taken on March 7, 2022 shows a view of the third round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the Belovezhskaya Pushcha. (Belta news agency via Xinhua) Medinsky announced a new round of face-to-face negotiations on March 29-30. MOSCOW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian and Ukrainian delegations will hold a new round of face-to-face negotiations on March 29-30, head of Russia's negotiation team Vladimir Medinsky said on Sunday. "Today, another round of negotiations with Ukraine via video link took place. As a result, it was decided to meet in person on March 29-30," Medinsky, also an aide to the Russian president, said on Telegram. Meanwhile, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation said Sunday that the next live round will be held in Turkey on March 28-30. Since Feb. 28, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of face-to-face peace talks and then a series of online discussions, failing to reach a major agreement. The new round of talks will take place after the Russian military announced on Friday that the main tasks of the first stage of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine had been completed in general. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) 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 Yang Changqin (middle) insturcts students how to do bamboo weaving. Yang Changqin, a deputy to the National Peoples Congress (NPC), is an inheritor of Chishui bamboo weaving, a Guizhou Province intangible cultural heritage. The day before she came to Beijing to attend the annual NPC meeting, part of the Two Sessions, one of the biggest events on the countrys political calendar, Yang had just led employees to complete the first batch of orders this spring. In the past, our products were mainly sold abroad. Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been fewer international orders, but we have achieved positive results in the domestic market. Yang, 32, closely associates intangible cultural heritage with rural revitalization, and comes up with innovative methods to rejuvenate the time-honored technique, enabling the creative bamboo woven products to go from their remote mountains into the world beyond. The unique bamboo weaving has provided hundreds of locals with jobs and increased the income in Yangs home base. From Layman to Inheritor At 17, Yang graduated from a school training kindergarten teachers in 2007. She had the choice of working in a public kindergarten, or entering an institution of higher learning for further study. Because she had liked traditional bamboo weaving during her internship, she decided to leave her home in Yinjiang County to head for Chishui City and learn more about the bamboo weaving. The road to learning artistic skills was not easy, but being persistent, Yang continued to master her bamboo weaving skills over the following several years. Her work has gone on to win dozens of handicraft awards. Yang eventually was recognized as an inheritor of Chishui Bamboo Weaving in Guizhou Province by virtue of her superb skills. In 2012, Yang established her own bamboo weaving craft factory in Datong Town, Chishui City. Many poor women who were left at home after their husbands migrated to other regions in search of work became the first batch of workers in Yangs factory. Following market demand, Yang led her team to develop thousands of woven bamboo products such as bags, teacups, flower baskets, calligraphy, and paintings, all of which sell well domestically and internationally via channels such as exhibitions and e-commerce platforms. Only by integrating intangible cultural heritage items into the lives of ordinary people and creating value through innovation can old skills be better protected and inherited, said Yang, hoping that the traditional skills can be rejuvenated by the hands of young craftsmen. Chishui is famous for its bamboo resources. The existing bamboo forest there covers an area of about 90,000 hectares, and 200,000 people are engaged in related industrial activities. The bamboo industry and bamboo economy have become an engine for rural revitalization. If a piece of bamboo is sold as raw material, it can be sold for up to RMB 10, but after going through more than 20 transformation processes, such as dyeing and weaving, it becomes various handicrafts, and one utensil can be sold for hundreds or thousands of yuan, said Yang, adding that the bamboo has become a magic wand for locals to increase their income. Yang Changqin, deputy to the 13th NPC and an inheritor of Chishui bamboo weaving. New Opportunities The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic in early 2020 disrupted the factorys production and sales plans, and sales in overseas markets stagnated. There were more than 100 workers waiting for their salaries. Without international orders, I took the lead in exploring the domestic market, said Yang, who contacted domestic sales platforms to promote her products. On one occasion she said she drove for more than 300 kilometers to the provincial capital Guiyang to bring boxes of goods to an e-commerce company. The company boss took all the boxes after checking the high quality of the goods, which gave Yang great motivation and encouragement. After her first successful experience of distributing goods, Yang and her staff placed the products on major domestic e-commerce platforms and at exhibitions across the country. They participated in more than 50 exhibitions annually, which generated many offline orders. We support ourselves by selling products domestically and have achieved good sales performance for several years in a row, Yang said, adding, we can sell millions of yuan annually on a single e-commerce platform. Yang Changqin marketing bamboo products online. Photos by Wang Changyu Pursuit of Happiness In the Chishui Bamboo Weaving Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Center founded by Yang, there are more than 300 varieties of handicrafts, and the products have been sold to France, the U.K. and other countries, as well as other parts of China including Taiwan and Hong Kong. Yang was elected as a deputy to the 13th NPC in 2018, because of her outstanding leading role in the inheritance and protection of bamboo weaving and helping locals to achieve prosperity. The first time she attended the annual NPC session, she was interviewed by reporters and shared with them traditional bamboo weaving from her hometown. Introducing the skill as an NPC deputy is not only an affirmation of the inheritance and protection of bamboo weaving, but also a great encouragement to our craftsmen who have been sticking to it all the year round, said Yang. In 2021, the time-honored craftsmanship received 70 million views on TikTok, and Chinas bamboo weaving attracted unprecedented attention from overseas netizens. The popularity of bamboo weaving abroad proves that this traditional skill is deeply loved. We should develop more products suitable for the international market and create greater value, said Yang. In order to popularize the heritage, Yang engaged in advanced studies at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts and the Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University. She applied new knowledge and skills to three-dimensional bamboo weaving, and innovatively launched a series of bamboo handicrafts, which proved popular with young consumers. For intangible cultural heritage protection and inheritance, including bamboo weaving, Yang believes that many unique traditional crafts and products lack branding strategy and scale effects. She suggested that the establishment of industrial bases, integration of technical resources, improvement of the training system, opening of new marketing channels, as well as the shaping of cultural and creative brands, can open up a larger market and better protect and facilitate inheritance of the craft. Yangs company had an output value of nearly RMB 20 million in 2021, and has 34 registered trademarks and 12 invention patents. The company employs more than 100 local villagers and helped 177 households to increase their income. Since 2012, the company has trained more than 10,000 people annually, including rural women, relocated households, people with disabilities, and students, Nowadays, more and more young people are receiving training at Yangs research and production base. Young mothers are doing bamboo weaving here, surrounded by children sleeping in bamboo baskets, Yang said, and this is the happiness ideal pursued by the villagers. All Zhang's proposals to the CPPCC have been to address what the people truly care about. Zhang Xingying, a member of the 13th CPPCC National Committee and deputy director-general of the NSMC. From March 4 to 10, 2022, the fifth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was convened in Beijing. It marks the fifth year that Zhang Xingying, deputy director-general of the National Satellite Meteorological Center (NSMC) has been fulfilling his duties as a member of the CPPCC National Committee, Chinas top political advisory body. Over the past four years, I have participated in more than a dozen surveys and traveled to many places across the country, from urban to rural areas, from big cities to small towns and villages, and from factories to farms, he said. Whole-Process Peoples Democracy All my proposals have been to address what the people truly care about, Zhang said. Over the past four years, he has submitted 11 proposals across a wide range of subjects including air pollution control, ecological environment monitoring and protection, the Belt and Road Initiatives implementation, policy making towards the goals of peaking CO2 emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, improvement of the catastrophe insurance system, rural revitalization, and the sharing economy. All these proposals were accepted and filed by the CPPCC National Committee. According to Zhang, many of his suggestions were adopted and put into practice in a short time. Last March, he submitted a proposal of increasing investment in the construction of a scientific monitoring and evaluation system for carbon neutrality to the CPPCC National Committee, and his proposal was soon forwarded to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment for handling in conjunction with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the China Meteorological Administration. On August 24, 2021, the response letter to his proposal was published on the official website of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. Relevant government departments acted quickly. In September, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released a pilot work plan to monitor carbon emissions in 16 cities, five key industries, and 11 group companies. Three months later, the China Meteorological Administration released a list of the first 60 stations of the National Greenhouse Gas Observation Network, and then the Plan for Developing Greenhouse Gas Observation in January. These developments have served as a vivid demonstration of the viability and strength of deliberative democracy practiced in China, Zhang said. The process of fulfilling his duties allows Zhang to have a deeper understanding of the whole-process peoples democracy. Quoting the white paper China: Democracy That Works, he said that democracy is a common value of humanity and an ideal that has always been cherished by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people. The best way to evaluate whether a countrys political system is democratic and efficient, he added, is to observe whether all the people can manage the state, social, economic and cultural affairs of their country in conformity with the law, whether the public can express their opinions without hindrance, and whether all sectors can efficiently participate in the countrys political affairs. The whole-process peoples democracy in China not only has a complete set of institutions and procedures, but also full participation and practices. In this sense, China has set an example of socialist democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process. It is a true democracy that works, Zhang said. Zhang Xingying (center) introduces Chinese carbon satellites to the world at the plenary meeting of the International Earth Observation Organization held in Washington, D.C., the United States, on October 25, 2016. Fulfilling Duties and Responsibilities When performing his duties, Zhang first puts forward objective, constructive, and forward-looking views and ideas, and then participates in national governance through democratic consultation. Each of his proposals is based on a year of extensive and meticulous research and thoughtful investigation. Eco-environmental protection and governance is a topic that he has always paid much attention to. In 2019, when studying at the National Academy of Governance, Zhang and seven other government officials in his class went to Ulanqab located in the middle of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for a study of the rapidly shrinking Daihai Lake and the environmental problems arising out of it. To make ample preparations, they started research one month before the field investigation, with each of them focusing on a specific field. Zhang, based on the satellite observation data of the Daihai Lake over the past three decades, together with long-term site observation data collected by the local meteorological department, made an all-round analysis of the changes in the lake water area. He also evaluated the relationship between local meteorology and climate change, and tried to separate the effects caused by the natural variation from human-induced destruction. A team member from the Ministry of Water Resources analyzed the impact of Daihai Power Plant on the lakes water temperature and chemical composition based on the long-term monitoring data of its hydrology and water quality, while taking into account local industrial layout and rural water use. Thanks to these efforts, their week-long investigation at Ulanqab was rewarding. After in-depth investigation of the Daihai Lake together with the help of big data analysis, we drafted our proposal, Zhang said. The proposal, which was based on a fact-based high-quality research report that examined in detail the changes in the ecological environment of Daihai over more than half a century and raised ideas for environmental protection and recovery, was submitted to and adopted by the CPPCC National Committee. On April 23, 2021, Zhang Xingying (second from left) inspects the work related to carbon neutrality at China Baowu Steel Group Co., Ltd. in Shanghai. Dare to Be the First Zhang, born in 1978, the year when China adopted the policy of reform and opening-up, is a member of both the CPPCC National Committee and the All-China Youth Federation. With a doctorate in atmospheric environmental chemistry, he began his research on remote sensing technology of global carbon dioxide monitoring satellites in 2007. In 2011, he served as assistant to the chief scientist of Chinas first carbon emissions monitoring satellite and worked for the establishment and development of Chinas carbon dioxide monitoring experimental satellite project. Five years later, the satellite was successfully launched, making China the third country with a satellite to study carbon emissions right after Japan in 2009 and the United States in 2014. In the context of a deteriorating eco-environment, intensifying climate change, and increasing meteorological disasters, it is crucial to give full play to the role of satellite remote sensing, said Zhang. Chasing the strategic goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, he has been thinking about the scientific methodology of monitoring carbon emissions and evaluating the emission reduction effects in different regions and industries. In 2022, China will launch the worlds first satellite to detect carbon dioxide in atmosphere with a Lidar (light detecting and ranging) system. As deputy chief engineer of the application system for this satellite, Zhang looks forward to obtaining more accurate data about atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration through new technologies. This will facilitate China in achieving the dual carbon goals, and share data with the international community to promote better global environmental governance and combat climate change. Deep participation in global environmental governance is another area of interest for Zhang. He said, The key to sound relations between countries lies in amity between their people. It is necessary to encourage Chinese professionals to join international organizations or international expert teams, to participate in the formulation of rules and regulations, compilation or review of academic reports, according to Zhang. He also urged more social organizations to go global. In a globalized world, China should be more active and creative in global environmental governance, especially in some forward-looking fields, he stressed. JERUSALEM, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Monday that Israel requires security forces to adapt to new threats after a fatal shooting attack perpetrated Sunday night by the extremist Islamic State (IS) group. In the attack, two gunmen opened fire at a bus stop in Israeli northern city of Hedera, killing two Border Police officers and wounding at least six others, according to Israeli police and Hillel Yaffe Hospital where the injuries have been hospitalized. The IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a post released by its Aamaq news agency, saying two of its members killed two Israeli security forces. It was the second time in less than a week that the IS carried out a deadly attack inside Israel, Bennett said in a statement, stressing the country requires the security forces to adjust quickly to the new threat. "The heart breaks over the deaths of Border Police officers Shirel Abukarat and Yezen Falah, who fell defending civilians from abhorrent murderers," Bennett said. Later on Monday, Bennett is expected to hold a situation assessment meeting with the country's top security officials. The attack on Sunday night came as foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt were gathering in southern Israel in a conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss regional cooperation. BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will host the third meeting of foreign ministers of the countries neighboring Afghanistan in Tunxi, Anhui Province, from March 30 to 31. Foreign ministers or representatives of Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will attend the meeting, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced on Monday. Later, Wang will chair the "Afghanistan's neighbors + Afghanistan" foreign ministers' dialogue. Acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan Interim Government Amir Khan Muttaqi will be invited to attend the dialogue. The foreign ministers of Indonesia and Qatar will be invited as guests, the spokesperson said. By hosting this third foreign ministers meeting, China hopes to build further consensus among Afghanistan's neighboring countries on the Afghan issue, discuss the "neighbors' plan" to jointly promote the stability of the situation in Afghanistan, support the Afghan people, and convey the voices of Afghanistan's neighbors to the international community, the spokesperson said. "We hope that by hosting the 'Afghanistan's neighbors + Afghanistan' foreign ministers' dialogue, we can better understand the difficulties and appeals of the Afghan people, convey the concerns of Afghanistan's neighboring countries about the Afghan issue, encourage Afghanistan to build an open and inclusive political architecture, pursue moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, and effectively combat terrorism," Wang said. "At the same time, we hope the international community will provide greater support to Afghanistan, and we call on the United States to take the primary responsibility for Afghanistan's economic reconstruction," Wang said. Chinese people mourn crash victims, hope two black boxes provide more clues to cause of tragedy By Tu Lei and Wan Lin (Global Times) 08:20, March 28, 2022 Photo/People's Daily Heartbroken people across China mourned on Sunday the victims of China Eastern Airlines' crashed Boeing 737-800 on the seventh day after the disaster, as netizens expressed heartfelt condolences in comment sections which were filled with emojis and stickers of candles and tears. According to Chinese tradition, the seventh day after a death is the height of the mourning period. Also on Sunday, officials said they have found the second black box, the flight data recorder, of the crashed plane. Data from both black boxes is being decoded and are expected to provide more clues to explain what caused the tragic crash. The news is believed to provide some relief and comfort for grieving relatives and friends. On Sunday afternoon, a collective mourning event for victims of the crash was held at the search site where the accident occurred in Tengxian county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. All the staff of national emergency response headquarters for the accident, and the search and rescue personnel stood solemnly in the direction of the crashed aircraft and observed three minutes of silence to express condolences to the victims. All 132 people on board are dead, China's aviation authorities confirmed Saturday night. More than 466,000 comments followed a People's Daily Weibo post on Saturday night which said "Rest in peace, victims of crashed China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735." One of the most supported posts read "Although I knew the result, the final confirmation is still heart shattering." "The whole country was expecting miracles Hope everyone on MU5735 has gone to the world of fairy tales. Rest in peace," wrote another Weibo user. "They were lost in the sky. They will be carried by the clouds back home!" read another comment with 13,000 likes. China Eastern, the operator of the Boeing 737-800 flight MU5735, said it deeply mourns the victims of the crash in a social media post on Saturday night after the official confirmation of the tragedy. Chinese officials said 632 family members of the victims of MU5735 have been to the crash site in groups to offer condolences and psychological counseling has been administered more than 1,200 times to family members, according to the press conference on Sunday. Yin Ping, head of the psychological rescue expert group for the incident, suggested that the families of the victims should not be disturbed excessively, which might cause secondary harm. He noted the victims' families will have obvious expressions of sadness as seven days after the crash they have begun to face and accept the fact that their loved ones had perished, adding that what they need is understanding, company and a natural venting of emotions. Investigations into air crashes take a long time. The most important thing right now is to appease the grief and overcome the psychological difficulties with families and civil aviation employees, Qin Ling, a deputy-director of Shanghai Morning Post told the Global Times on Sunday. He is also a veteran of the civil aviation industry. China's civil aviation industry had achieved more than 100 million hours of safe flight before the crash on March 21, which is not by luck, but the result of the hard work of many civil aviation personnel. This cannot be completely overridden by an air crash, he added. Second black box found Two days after the crash, the rescue team successfully recovered the first black box, the cockpit voice recorder. It triggered high expectations and anxiety about the search for the second one, given the continuous rainfall and landslide risk in the area surrounding the crash site. The second black box, the flight data recorder, was found on Sunday morning under a 1.5-meter layer of soil at the crash site, China Central Television (CCTV) reported. The two black boxes have both been sent to Beijing to extract and decode the data. The exterior of data storage unit of the second black box remains intact, but other parts of the flight data recorder are seriously damaged after examination, said Zhu Tao, director of aviation safety office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The flight data recorder can provide real and objective evidence for the analysis of the cause of the accident, said Mao Yanfeng, director of the CAAC's accident investigation unit at a press conference on Sunday. The second black box records the status parameters of the aircraft during flight, such as altitude, speed, pitch angle, roll angle, heading and vertical speed, as well as parameters such as steering wheel and autopilot. In the next stage, investigators need to combine the data of the two recorders, as well as the evidence of the on-site investigation, air traffic control radar data, the communication between crew and the air traffic control unit, data link transmission information between the aircraft and the ground, and witness interviews to conduct comprehensive analysis, then can make conclusion of the accident cause more objective and accurate, Mao added. Boeing on Saturday said that it will continue to support the airline customer during this difficult time, and a Boeing technical team is supporting the US National Transportation Safety Board and the CAAC who will lead the investigation. China Eastern Airlines has officially started the compensation claims process, establishing uniform compensation standards, with victims' families involved in communication scheme for specific details. The company has set up a full-time team to take charge of the claims settlement. It has set up and opened a special claims line for family members of the victims, said Liu Xiaodong, spokesperson of China Eastern Airlines, on Sunday during the press conference. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Photo taken on March 28, 2022 shows vehicles carrying the Russian delegation leaving the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey. The Russian and Ukrainian delegations have arrived in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Monday for a fresh round of face-to-face peace talks, aiming to achieve substantial progress to end the crisis. (Xinhua) ISTANBUL, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Russian and Ukrainian delegations have arrived in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Monday for a fresh round of face-to-face peace talks, aiming to achieve substantial progress to end the crisis. The Russian delegation has settled in the Ciragan Palace Kempinski hotel while the Ukrainian delegation has checked in the Shangri-La Bosphorus, both very close to each other in the Besiktas district. Media reports said the arrival of the Ukrainian delegation had been postponed to evening hours due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace and some logistical problems. According to the NTV broadcaster, the Ukrainian delegates had to go to a neighboring country by road to fly to Istanbul. Tuesday's negotiations will begin at 10:30 a.m. local time (0730 GMT) at the Dolmabahce Presidential Working Office in Besiktas. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to address the delegations at the opening of the meeting. "We will have a short meeting with the delegations tomorrow morning," Erdogan said at a press conference after a cabinet meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara on Monday. So far, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of in-person talks in Belarus, and their fourth session was in a video conference format. Turkey, meanwhile, has increasingly accelerated its diplomatic efforts on the international arena, reiterating its policy that it is ready to play a mediator role for lasting peace in the region. In a phone call on Sunday, Erdogan told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that a ceasefire and peace between Moscow and Kiev must be achieved as soon as possible, and the humanitarian situation in the region should be improved. Erdogan repeated that Turkey would continue to contribute in every possible way during this process. The "phone traffic" that he has been conducting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is progressing in a positive direction, Erdogan said on Monday. Turkey has been exerting significant efforts to resolve the crisis through agreement and dialogue, he said. Photo taken on March 28, 2022 shows the plane carrying the Russian delegation at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey. The Russian and Ukrainian delegations have arrived in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Monday for a fresh round of face-to-face peace talks, aiming to achieve substantial progress to end the crisis. (Xinhua) MOMBASA, Kenya, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The transition to a low carbon future in sub-Saharan Africa will be realized once the continent prioritizes sustainable management of its vast tropical forests, scientists said Monday. Speaking at a forum in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa, the scientists called for enhanced protection of Africa's forested landscapes given their immense role in climate response, poverty alleviation, food and water security. Godwin Kowero, the executive secretary of the Nairobi-based African Forest Forum, stressed that taming the continent's rapidly unfolding climate crisis hinged on sound conservation of its equatorial forests, drylands and marine ecosystem. "As the continent grapples with climate change, we need to look at forests as key to the success of mitigation and adaptation efforts," said Kowero, who believed that forests and trees outside the natural forests will not only stabilize climate but also support livelihoods of rural communities. Convened by African Forest Forum, the Mombasa forum that will take place in a hybrid format from March 28 to April 1 brings together senior policymakers, scientists, industry players and green advocates to discuss best practices on integrating the forestry sector in climate action. Delegates will in particular share experiences on forest-based climate mitigation and adaptation programs that have worked in different parts of the continent and how communities are harnessing the resource to transform their livelihoods. Julius Kamau, the chief conservator of Forests at Kenya Forest Service, noted that climatic shocks had escalated in Africa hence the need to leverage biodiversity hotspots including mangroves swamps and watersheds in order to minimize damage to the livelihoods of rural communities. According to Kamau, enhanced forests' protection will not only boost Africa's quest for carbon neutrality but also improve the health and economic outcomes of communities bearing the brunt of climate emergencies. He said the 27th session of the Conference of Parties (COP27) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change summit slated for Nov. 7 to 18 in Egypt provides an opportunity to raise the visibility of African forest resources and their crucial role in climate resilience. Fred Owino, a member of the African Forest Forum Governing Council, said that research and precise data were required to inform the design and execution of forestry-based climate change response in the continent. HARARE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC), won 19 out of the 28 national assembly seats contested in the parliamentary by-election held Saturday, state-run ZBC-TV reported Sunday night. President Emmerson Mnangagwa's ruling ZANU-PF scored nine seats, said the report. The opposition consolidated its grip in urban areas, while ZANU-PF consolidated its power base in rural areas. ZANU-PF, which has led Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, retained all the parliamentary seats it won in the 2018 general election. The party also made inroads in some traditional opposition strongholds by snatching two parliamentary seats won by the opposition in 2018, further strengthening its dominance in the national assembly. ZANU-PF had already controlled the national assembly with a two-thirds majority after winning 145 of the available 210 seats in the 2018 elections. Together with the parliamentary by-election, a by-election for local government representatives in 122 local jurisdictions were also held. The highly contested by-elections were seen as a rehearsal for next year's elections. by Naftali Mwaura, Bai Lin NAIROBI, March 28 (Xinhua) -- When Jane Nasimiyu's friend alerted her about a job opening at a bustling handicraft outlet located on the northern edge of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, more than a decade ago, the single mother decided to give it a try. Previously working at a flower farm in central Kenyan county of Kiambu, Nasimiyu had grown used to toiling in order to meet basic needs of her young family, and venturing into a different vocation was a strategic move. Now an accomplished painter at Kazuri beads factory, a renowned handicraft brand nestled in the picturesque Karen suburb of Nairobi, Nasimiyu said she was proud of an occupation that was in the past underrated but has become an enduring symbol of Kenya's rich culture and heritage. "My job at Kazuri (Swahili word for 'small and beautiful') involves making beads from clay, painting and grading them in readiness for clients who are mainly local and foreign tourists," Nasimiyu told Xinhua during a recent interview. Founded in 1975, Kazuri beads factory has become a haven for poor single women in Nairobi and adjacent rural villages, providing them vocational skills and well-paying jobs. Nestled in a neighborhood that is renowned for its greenery, scenic attractions and ambience, the indigenous handicraft maker employed 340 poor single mothers before the pandemic. In 2010 when Nasimiyu joined Kazuri, its ceramic beads, jewelry and pottery had already resonated with a wide clientele base, thanks to their crisp and exotic appearance. Soon after three months of rigorous training, Nasimiyu found herself immersed in sorting and adding fresh paint to handicraft destined for local and international markets. She said that besides improved income at Kazuri beads factory, she has also benefitted from mentorship, training and exposure to the outside world, boosting her confidence and self-esteem. Nasimiyu said she is on an annual renewable contract, enabling her to feed, clothe and educate her children with minimal struggle. She said that though COVID-19 pandemic had taken a toll on the handicrafts business, there was some light at the end of the tunnel as orders gradually resume. Her sentiments were echoed by Eunice Akoth Oyoo, a painter at Kazuri beads factory who joined the outfit in 2007 and has never regretted venturing into a vocation that has provided new lease of life to Kenya's urban poor and single women. Prior to joining Kazuri workshop where she also received training for three months to pave way for her use of brush to paint ceramics and beads, Oyoo had a stint at a local organic food chain. The single mother, who was born and raised in one of Nairobi's largest informal settlements, said her day job involves use of small, medium and large brushes to paint beads, enhance their beauty. "At the beginning, I found it hard to paint beads, but gradually, I have gotten used to this job. The salary is better, I am able to pay rent, provide food, shelter, clothing and education to my three children," said Oyoo. She said that before securing the well-paying job at Kazuri beads factory, she had struggled to pay household bills and often resorted to casual jobs like cleaning people's homes and working at construction sites to make ends meet. Oyoo said that her workplace has earned accolades from poor single mothers from Nairobi's informal settlements thanks to provision of decent wages and free healthcare. "So we are grateful for this job, despite the challenges triggered by the pandemic. Our hope is that tourism recovery will make our work profitable again," she said. Since its founding more than four decades ago, Kazuri beads factory has symbolized the resilience, beauty and uniqueness of Kenya's cultural heritage, its wildlife and physical attractions. Philip Mutunga, a supervisor at the factory, said the hand-made ceramics, beads, plates and cups made of clay are designed and painted in a manner that reflects the country's aesthetic beauty and splendor. According to Mutunga, Kazuri has six active outlets in Kenya and export over 60 percent of its products through a network of distributors across the globe. Training and providing jobs to single and poor mothers is in line with the Kazuri's founding motto of being at the center of transforming livelihoods in Kenya, he said. RABAT, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved a loan of 180-million-U.S. dollar to Morocco to support its agriculture, official news agency MAP reported on Monday. The loan aims to enhance the governance of water in agriculture, and improve the quality of irrigation services, as climate change is putting increased pressure on water resources in the North African country, the report said. Morocco witnessed during this year a severe drought and heat waves, which affected the agricultural sector representing 14 percent of Morocco's gross domestic product (GDP). The country's central bank expected last week that Morocco's economy will grow by 0.7 percent in 2022, down from 2.9 percent in the earlier forecast and the 7.3 percent growth in 2021. ISLAMABAD, March 28 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed and 16 others injured when a passenger vehicle fell into a ravine in Upper Dir district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, local reports said. The accident happened when the vehicle's driver lost control over it while negotiating a sharp turn in the hilly area of the district, the reports said. The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital where four of them were said to be in critical condition. Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Mahmood Khan expressed sorrow over the accident, and extended condolences to the bereaved families. JAKARTA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A rare female Sumatran rhino calf has been born at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary of the Way Kambas National Park in Indonesia's East Lampung district, an official said on Monday. The Director-General of the Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Wiratno, said the baby Sumatran rhino was born by the Rosa and Andatu couple on Thursday, March 24, at 11:44 a.m. local time after her mother was pregnant for 476 days. "This birth is good news amidst our efforts to increase the Sumatran rhino population," Wiratno added. Veterinarian Zulfi Arsan said that Rosa showed signs of contractions at 9:00 a.m. local time and successfully gave birth three hours later. According to him, Rosa has lived in the park since 2005 and has miscarried eight times. Since her ninth pregnancy in December 2020, the park's team of doctors have monitored her intensively and given her fetus-boosting hormones. With this delivery, the population of large herbivorous mammals, which the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies as critically endangered, has now grown to eight. KIEV, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Ukrainian delegation is looking for peace at the fresh round of talks with Russia, the presidential press service reported Monday. "Our goal is obvious -- peace and the restoration of normal life in our native state as soon as possible," Zelensky said. As other top Kiev priorities at the talks, Zelensky listed Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and effective security guarantees. On Sunday, a member of the Ukrainian delegation David Arakhamia said the next round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia would take place in Turkey on March 28-30. Ukrainian and Russian delegations have held three rounds of negotiations in person in Belarus since Feb. 28, and the fourth one started on March 14 in the format of a video conference. ISTANBUL, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Russian delegation has arrived in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Monday for a fresh round of peace talks with Ukraine, the CNN Turk broadcaster reported. The plane carrying the Russian representatives landed at the Ataturk Airport, which is exclusively used for diplomatic missions, it said. According to Turkish diplomatic sources, the talks are expected to begin on Tuesday morning. In a phone call on Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to hold the next round of negotiations in Istanbul. Erdogan reiterated that Turkey would continue to contribute in every possible way during this process. So far, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of in-person talks in Belarus, and their fourth session was a video conference. LJUBLJANA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia reopened its embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kiev on Monday, after it evacuated all its diplomats from Ukraine on Feb. 26 following the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The embassy was reopened by temporary charge d'affaires Bostjan Lesjak, while Slovenian ambassador to Ukraine Tomaz Mencin continues to work from the Polish city of Rzeszow which lies close to the Ukrainian border, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said on its website. "Upon arriving in Kiev, Lesjak said that he can hear alarms and detonations in the distance but that the life of the people who remained in Kiev continues as normal," the ministry said. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa visited Kiev on March 15, along with his Polish and Czech counterparts, when they met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to express their support. "We are back. The Slovenian and European flags flutter again in front of the (embassy). When the team travelled to the capital (Kiev) yesterday, they saw many civilians returning to the city," Jansa said on his Twitter account on Monday. A Slovenian government representative said on Monday that about 7,000 refugees from Ukraine have so far asked for a temporary protection in Slovenia, which lies between Austria, Hungary, Croatia and Italy. How China's experience boosts Africa's sustainable development Xinhua) 08:24, March 28, 2022 * Experts said China's conspicuous success in alleviating poverty could be of valuable guidance for Africa in its fight against poverty and pursuit of sustainable development. * "Give people fish, and you feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime." This is an old Chinese saying which best captures the essence of China's assistance to African countries. * China's initiative to build a community with a shared future for mankind has the potential to significantly reduce poverty in Africa and elsewhere across the developing world NAIROBI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- In spite of abundant resources, a large population and a vast market, Africa is still the world's least developed continent, beset by continuous poverty and hunger. Sharing a similar underdeveloped past with Africa, China achieved its ambitious goal of eliminating extreme poverty in 2020, improving the living standards of hundreds of millions of people through decades of development. Experts said China's conspicuous success in alleviating poverty could be of valuable guidance for Africa in its fight against poverty and pursuit of sustainable development. Chinese experts work in a paddy field in the demonstration area of Nariou village in Burkina Faso, July 13, 2021. (Xinhua) CHINESE MODEL OF ENDING POVERTY In sub-Saharan Africa, most people live on less than 1.9 U.S. dollars a day, the World Bank's extreme-poverty benchmark. According to the United Nations (UN), because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy of sub-Saharan Africa is expected to see serious deterioration, with an additional 26 million people living below the international poverty line. Cavince Adhere, a Kenyan international relations expert, said that China's success in alleviating rural poverty through leveraging technology-led farming methods is an inspiration to Kenya and other developing countries. "Contrary to many countries where development is often associated with investments in cities and other urban centers, China prioritized rural areas in its poverty reduction efforts where agriculture played a major role," Adhere said in a recent commentary. He said that China has become the first developing country to achieve the first of the UN's 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), adding that modern farming has hastened the realization of that feat. "China's efforts offer good insights for Kenya's socio-economic transformation," he said. Paul Zilungisele Tembe, a researcher at the University of South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute, said China's experience is a model to the world about what is possible when there is decisive leadership, uninterrupted legal and policy continuity, bottom-up people's empowerment, solid intergovernmental relations and private sector partnerships, and leveraging contextual circumstances including geography, politics, technology. All these factors have coalesced and translated into "poverty eradication with Chinese characteristics," said the expert, adding that "it is not inconceivable for South Africa to replicate the Chinese model of ending poverty in all its forms." A Chinese expert helps locals in mechanized harvesting of rice in the demonstration area of Nariou village in Burkina Faso, Oct. 8, 2021. (Xinhua) HELP FROM CHINA "Give people fish, and you feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime." This is an old Chinese saying which best captures the essence of China's assistance to African countries. In Burkina Faso, national rice production met only 30 percent of the population's consumption needs in 2018. "Based on the actual needs of the Burkina Faso people, our mission is to develop rice cultivation, increase rice production, while expanding the cultivation area and promoting new technologies," said Hu Yuzhou, head of a Chinese agricultural technical assistance team in the country. Chinese experts not only provide seeds, fertilizers and agricultural machinery, but also participate in the whole farming process. According to Gaoussou Sanou, national coordinator of the Burkina Faso-China agricultural cooperation program, thanks to China's help, the rice output in the demonstration area of Nariou village in 2021 reached 5-6 tons per hectare, which is two to three times that of the previous year, and the quality of rice has also been significantly improved. In Guinea-Bissau, over the past three years, experts of the 11th Chinese agri-technical team to the country, based in 13 rice production areas in the three provinces of Bafata, Gabu and Oio, have carried out "technology plus material" aid to this west-African country and achieved remarkable results. In Madagascar, the average yield of hybrid rice produced with Chinese technologies is two to three times more than that of local ones. Photo shows a China-aid milling plant in Lusaka, Zambia, on March 9, 2022. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) In Zambia, China-funded milling plants reduced the price of mealie meal used in making Zambia's staple food Nshima. In Tanzania, the government has used funds from China to develop the Juncao technology for livestock fodder and mushroom production. "The Juncao technology will increase mushroom production and consumption which will contribute to food security in the country," Tanzanian Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Mashimba Ndaki has said. Melaku Mulualem, a senior international relations and diplomacy researcher at Ethiopia's Institute of Strategic Affairs, emphasized the need for African countries to make full use of China's technology transfer and capacity building support to Africa as a springboard to replicate its success in poverty alleviation. Mulualem said Africa and the rest of the least developed countries should also learn from China about how to tap its human resource potential. "Especially for least developed countries, high population can be a curse; but for China, it is an opportunity, because they are using the brain and hands of the people to innovate and produce new things," said Mulualem. During the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in late November 2021, China announced nine programs to strengthen China-Africa cooperation in such fields as poverty reduction, agricultural development and digital innovation. Photo shows products made by a China-aid milling plant in Lusaka, Zambia, on March 9, 2022. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) A SHARED FUTURE Commending China's poverty alleviation endeavors, the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Josefa Sacko said Africa should replicate China's success in reducing poverty, with particular emphasis on rural development. "I had the opportunity to go to China and I saw the way they transform the rural areas into urban areas," said the commissioner. "The Chinese practice in poverty reduction shows that high and sustained inclusive development is critical to reducing poverty," said the AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga, adding that he believes that poverty reduction in Africa also requires the same strong political commitment and will as China has demonstrated. According to Muchanga, one of the key elements that African countries can learn from China's extraordinary experience in ending extreme poverty is the establishment of township industries where poverty was most pronounced. Chinese experts help locals in mechanized harvesting of rice in the demonstration area of Nariou village in Burkina Faso, Oct. 8, 2021. (Xinhua) Muchanga highlighted the AU's keen intent to partner with China in realizing the targeted average annual growth of over 7 percent set by the AU's Agenda 2063, noting that it is also necessary to learn from China's sustainable eco-friendly development endeavors. "Sustainable development simply means development without compromising the environment. When China comes to the second position in global economy, it is not by compromising the environment. So, the experience of China is helpful for Africa to alleviate poverty and drought," Muchanga stressed. China's initiative to build a community with a shared future for mankind has the potential to significantly reduce poverty in Africa and elsewhere across the developing world, Mulualem said. "Shared future means to think about the people of the world at large," said Mulualem, adding that "Africa can also benefit from this shared future vision." (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) by Xinhua writer Sun Ding WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A series of shootings have occurred across cities and communities in the United States over the past weekend, taking lives and causing injuries, amid rising public outcry against gun violence. There is also a growing concern that the deep-seated problem could further exacerbate in the United States as summer approaches -- typically the nation's most violent season -- and businesses and public places are moving to fully reopen in spite of rising COVID-19 cases and deaths. DEADLY WEEKEND Police responded to two separate shootings in Prince George's County in the state of Maryland that happened within minutes of each other on Friday evening. One of the incidents happened inside a shopping mall in the city of Hyattsville, leaving one person killed. "This is shocking to us as it is to you and to our community," Hyattsville City Police Chief Jarod Towers told reporters on Friday night. At least four people were injured in a shooting that police said involved "several parties" outside a tavern in Virginia Beach, a coastal city in southeastern Virginia, early Saturday morning. Several officers were monitoring the tavern when they noticed a group of people arguing before several took out their guns and started shooting, according to the police. Two officers then intervened and shot at one of the people who was armed. The suspect fled and has not been located. "I was sitting there and all I saw was a bunch of people trying to get in and my gut instinct told me to get out of the way, shortly after I heard a bunch of gunshots followed by people pushing to get in the door," an eyewitness told a local news station. "I ran down the street and heard multiple more gunshots, they just kept coming in, it was terrifying." Police in other states such as Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, and California, have reported at least one fatal shooting over the past two days, a week after several mass shootings attracted national attention during the previous weekend, including one at a car show in Dumas, Arkansas, which killed one person and injured at least 27 others. More than 17,000 people have died or been injured due to gun violence in the United States so far this year, during which time the country has seen at least 110 mass shootings, according to a database run by the nonprofit research group Gun Violence Archive. PUBLIC OUTCRY A group of residents in a neighborhood of Montgomery, capital of state Alabama, marched this Saturday to decry gun violence, a day after a shooting in the city left one dead and another in critical condition. "That's terrible," Jonathan Givens, an organizer of the walk-out, reportedly said. "That's a sad thing." More than 1,100 fake body bags -- each one representing 150 people -- were placed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Thursday to spell out "Thoughts and Prayers," a common phrase U.S. politicians use in the wake of tragedies arising from shootings. The demonstration fell on the fourth anniversary of the "March For Our Lives" rally to commemorate the more than 170,000 people who have died from gun violence in the United States since the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, the state of Florida, where a gunman killed 14 students and three staff members with a semi-automatic rifle. "We want to provide a stark reality and visual of what not having done anything for years looks like," Daud Mumin, "March For Our Lives" board of directors co-chair, told ABC News. "Thoughts and prayers are reserved for things that are outside of our control, that are outside of our responsibility and ability, right?" Mumin said. "Gun violence is not a natural thing." Gun violence has been on the rise across the United States in the past few years, a trend fueled by a confluence of factors, from the economic and social disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic to the unrest during the 2020 elections, as well as a surge in gun sales. Homicides were up 30 percent between 2019 and 2020 in the nation, the largest one-year increase in six decades. "Gun violence is one of America's deadliest and longest running epidemics," co-wrote Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health, New York's largest healthcare provider, in an opinion published recently on magazine Scientific American with Chethan Sathya, a firearm injury researcher. "It is nothing less than an immediate need." "NATIONAL STAIN" Guns are deeply ingrained in U.S. society and the nation's political debates. With nearly 400 million guns in civilian hands -- the equivalent of 120 firearms per 100 citizens, the United States is also an outlier among wealthy, developed countries in terms of gun issues. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives Americans the right to bear arms, and four-in-ten American adults say they live in a household with a gun, including 30 percent who say they personally own one, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in June 2021. Around half of Americans -- 48 percent -- see gun violence as a very big problem in the United States, a different Pew research showed. Another 24 percent of U.S. adults say gun violence is a moderately big problem. But Americans are divided over whether restricting legal gun ownership would lead to fewer mass shootings. U.S. President and Democrat Joe Biden announced in February a new set of actions aimed at reducing gun violence across the nation, including a crackdown on the illegal flow of guns, and helping prosecutors bring cases against those using "ghost guns" -- unserialized and untraceable firearms -- to commit crimes. Republicans, however, have continued to push for loose gun regulation at the state level, arguing that it is a constitutional right to bear arms and that it is necessary for people to arm themselves at a time of rising gun violence. Biden issued a statement in early March in response to a drive-by shooting outside a high school in Des Moines, capital of state Iowa, which killed one teen boy and injured two girls, saying that "too many families have had to bury a piece of their soul after yet another tragic shooting." "Every American should be able to visit a house of worship, a grocery store, a night club, or any other place without fear of being gunned down," he continued. "That too many cannot is a stain on our national character." China willing to cement friendship with Nepal, safeguard regional peace: Wang Yi Xinhua) 08:45, March 28, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center), in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2022. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) KATHMANDU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday that China is willing to join hands with Nepal to cement friendship between the two countries and safeguard regional peace. At a meeting with Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, Wang said China cherishes the traditional friendship with Nepal that has lasted for generations. No matter how the international situation changes and what challenges emerge, China will stick to its friendly policy towards Nepal, he said. As the world is full of chaos and transformations, both sides should guard against the resurgence of the Cold War mentality in the region and jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and development, Wang said. For his part, Prachanda congratulated China on successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympic Games despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Noting that Nepal and China are connected by mountains and rivers and enjoy traditional friendship, he said the two neighbors have maintained close exchanges and sound cooperation since the establishment of their diplomatic ties. He thanked China for its strong support for Nepal's socio-economic development, as well as disaster and COVID-19 responses, and expressed readiness to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and accelerate the Belt and Road cooperation, especially in connectivity and infrastructure projects. Nepal will continue to adhere to the one-China policy and will never allow any force to use its territory to engage in any activities against China, Prachanda said. During his meeting with KP Sharma Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), Wang said both countries have been pushing forward cooperation steadily, joining hands to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and help Nepal's recovery and development, and bringing tangible benefits to the Nepali people. Wang said China cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries, never interferes in Nepal's internal affairs and always sticks to the friendly policy towards Nepal. China hopes that Nepal could maintain social and political stability, he said, adding that his country will continue to firmly support Nepal in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, exploring a development path suited to its own national conditions, and relentlessly pursuing independent domestic and foreign policies. Wang said China's development adds to a more powerful peace force and will bring new development opportunities for developing countries including Nepal, and China's neighbors in particular. Oli said Nepal and China are close by both geography and culture, and the two peoples have enjoyed a long-standing history of friendship. He expressed appreciation for China's unreserved support for Nepal in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and for its selfless assistance to help Nepal conduct socio-economic development and fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Nepal will firmly uphold the one-China policy, earnestly push for the building of the Belt and Road, deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields, and work jointly for the common goal of building the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, Oli said. He pledged to make more efforts to share governance experience with the Chinese side and raise the cooperation between the two parties and two countries to a new level. Wang left Nepal on Sunday for home to conclude his four-nation tour, which also took him to Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with KP Sharma Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2022. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) Troy Kotsur arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) (Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Troy Kotsur, who took home the trophy for Best Supporting Actor at Sunday nights Academy Awards ceremony, began his professional acting career over 30 years ago as a member of the National Theatre for the Deaf in Connecticut. Kotsur, who won for the film CODA (which also took home the Best Motion Picture prize) is only the second deaf actor, and the first male deaf actor, to win an Oscar. Advertisement [ CODA wins best picture at Academy Awards; Will Smith, Chris Rock confrontation shocks Oscars audience ] From 1991 to 1993, Kotsur performed primarily in two shows for the company. Kotsur was Hamlet in the play Ophelia, a new perspective on the Shakespeare play written expressly for the company by Jeff Wanshel. Kotsur was also in the cast of the National Theatre of the Deafs popular childrens theater adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson adventure story Treasure Island, which toured around the country. Both Ophelia and Treasure Island were performed in Connecticut numerous times. Advertisement The National Theatre for the Deaf was founded in 1967. It was part as an explosion of regional theater companies in Connecticut at that time and is the oldest theatre company in the U.S. with a continuous history of domestic and international touring.It was initially based in Waterford, then in Chester, then in Hartford and then as part of the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford. In 2020, the company relocated to Washington, D.C., though a local entity now called National Theatre of the Deaf Connecticut provides local, state and regional educational and theatrical programs. The company typically performed with a combination of signing and speaking actors. For Sundays Oscar telecast, the National Theatre of the Deaf provided a livestream which delivered the speeches in American Sign Language (ASL). After leaving Connecticut around 1994, Kotsur moved to the West Coast, joining a brand new deaf theater company, Deaf West in Los Angeles, California. There, he became better known as both an actor and a director. He also met and married fellow deaf actor Deanne Bray; she had remembered seeing him in Ophelia. It was with Deaf West that Troy Kotsur returned to perform in Connecticut in the companys acclaimed production of the musical Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Following its success in Los Angeles in 2001 and on Broadway in 2003, Big River had a national tour, which visited the Shubert in New Haven in March 2005. Kotsur played several roles in that show, including Pap, Duke and Silas Phelps. CODA the films title is an acronym for Child of Deaf Adults features several other actors associated with Deaf West. CODA is currently streaming on Apple + and is also available on DVD. Christopher Arnott can be reached at carnott@courant.com. NEWRY, Maine The race is on to produce more lithium in the United States. The U.S. will need far more lithium to achieve its clean energy goals and the industry that mines, extracts and processes the chemical element is poised to grow. But it also faces a host of challenges from environmentalists, Indigenous groups and government regulators. Advertisement Although lithium reserves are distributed widely across the globe, the U.S. is home to just one active lithium mine, in Nevada. The element is critical to development of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that are seen as key to reducing climate-changing carbon emissions created by cars and other forms of transportation. Worldwide demand for lithium was about 350,000 tons (317,517 metric tons) in 2020, but industry estimates project demand will be up to six times greater by 2030. New and potential lithium mining and extracting projects are in various stages of development in states including Maine, North Carolina, California and Nevada. Advertisement Nobody really foresaw this huge spike in demand, said Tim Crowley, vice president of government affairs for Lithium Nevada, a subsidiary of a company developing a mine in Thacker Pass, Nevada. We owned the lithium space for a long time, and we forfeited it to China. Much of the worlds lithium comes from South America and Australia, and China dominates the worldwide supply chain for lithium-ion batteries. The U.S. produces less than 2% of the worlds supply of lithium, although it has about 4% of the reserves. The largest reserves in the world are in Chile. Expanding domestic lithium production would involve open pit mining or brine extraction, which involves pumping a mineral-rich brine to the surface and processing it. Opponents including the Sierra Club have raised concerns that the projects could harm sacred Indigenous lands and jeopardize fragile ecosystems and wildlife. But the projects could also benefit the environment in the long run by getting fossil fuel-burning cars off the road, said Glenn Miller, emeritus professor of environmental sciences at the University of Nevada. A domestic source has tremendous value. Then we can do things that only China is doing with production, Miller said. A dried up portion of the Salton Sea stretches out with a geothermal power plant in the distance in Niland, Calif., July 15, 2021. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP) Lithium the lightest metal on Earth was discovered by Swedish chemist Johan August Arfwedson more than 200 years ago. Since then, lithium and its compounds have been used in everything from psychiatric medicine to lubricating grease. But interest in lithium has exploded in recent years because of its use in rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid cars, lawnmowers, power tools and more. Lithium batteries also power laptops and cell phones. The Biden administration has made a plan for half a million charging stations for electric vehicles a signature piece of its infrastructure goals. That effort, and the growth of electric vehicle companies such as Tesla, will require much more lithium to make batteries. Advertisement The new lithium mining project closest to development is the one proposed for Thacker Pass by Lithium Americas. That northern Nevada mine would make millions of tons of lithium available, but Native American tribes have argued that its located on sacred lands and should be stopped. Construction could start late this year, said Lithium Americas CEO Jonathan Evans, noting that it would be the first lithium project on federal land permitted in six decades. Evans said there will likely be more U.S. attempts to extract lithium because of the rising demand. It has been a small industry and it has grown quickly, he said. I do expect larger companies to enter the space via acquisitions or other means. The Thacker Pass project, and others that could follow, represent a challenge for environmentalists because they carry the promise of decarbonization in exchange for heavy impacts on ecosystems and local communities. Lithium mining could jeopardize water quality and ranching in some states, the Sierra Club has argued. The big challenge is making sure lithium mines are located in places where they do the least amount of damage, said Lisa Belenky, senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. It really is very site specific as far as what impacts it would have to the local species, water, Belenky said. Almost every energy project we look at for climate change has its own greenhouse gas footprint. Advertisement The drive for more domestic lithium has opened the potential for mining and extracting in states beyond Nevada. An Australian company called Piedmont Lithium wants to develop an open-pit mining project it has proposed for the Kings Mountain area west of Charlotte, North Carolina. The area was a major supplier of lithium from the mid-20th century into the 1980s, the company said. Californias largest lake, the salty and shrinking Salton Sea, is also primed to host lithium operations. Lithium can be extracted from geothermal brine, and the Salton Sea has been the site of geothermal plants that have pumped brine for decades. Proponents of extracting lithium from the lake said it would require less land and water than other brining operations. One project, led by EnergySource Minerals, is expected to be operational next year, a spokesperson for the company said. General Motors Corp. is also an investor in another project on the Salton Sea that could start producing lithium by 2024. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, envisions that Californias lithium can position the state to become a leader in the production of batteries. He called the state the Saudi Arabia of lithium during a January address. Dee Dee Myers, a senior adviser to Newsom focused on business, said that lithium is an increasingly critical resource as California and the world pursue clean energy development to slow climate change impacts. News @3 Daily Catch up on the days top headlines sent directly to your inbox weekdays at 3 p.m > The state has an opportunity to produce epic quantities of lithium given the resources around the Salton Sea, Myers said. But she said it wants to ensure lithium is extracted and produced sustainably. Advertisement State government could play a role in regulating the extraction process. In 2020, California also created the Lithium Valley Commission to review and analyze incentives for lithium extraction. They must file a report with their findings by October. In Maine, Plumbago Mountain in the western part of the state has attracted mining interest. The mountain is a potentially significant new lithium resource, with a higher average lithium content than similar deposits around the world, according to a 2020 paper in the scientific journal Mineralium Deposita. However, Maine mining regulations could make it difficult to extract the lithium. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is reviewing the possibility of quarrying for lithium at Plumbago at the request of the propertys owners, state mining coordinator Mike Clark said. Plumbago Mountain is the kind of site that could be significant for the U.S. as it seeks to fulfill its clean energy goals, said Alicia Cruz-Uribe, an associate professor of petrology and mineralogy at University of Maine. The countrys lithium reserves rank among the largest in the world, Cruz-Uribe said. But the amount that we produce is peanuts. Associated Press writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this report from Sacramento, California. State Senator Steve Cassano sits alone in the Senate Chamber on the last day of the 2019 legislative session. (STEPHEN DUNN / Hartford Courant) Sen. Steve Cassano, a Democrat first elected to the Connecticut senate in 2010, said Monday that he will run for reelection, disputing statements from Manchesters Democratic party leader that he had promised to step aside. I clearly want to do this term, Cassano said. Theres a lot still to be done. Advertisement Cassano, 80, represents Manchester, Glastonbury, Bolton and Marlborough. Manchester board of directors Minority Leader Jacqueline Crespan, a Republican, has announced she will challenge Cassano, but he also faces opposition from his own party. Manchester Democratic Town Committee Chairman Mike Pohl said Monday that the senator and former town mayor is a friend, but Cassanos promise after his last win not to run again should mean something. Advertisement I cannot speak for the entire DTC or convention on who they will endorse, Pohl said. I do know that the vast majority of members believe that Steve Cassano should keep his word and not run again. In politics, the only thing that someone has of meaning is their word. In fact, Pohl said, the incumbent senator also said he would not seek reelection in 2016 and 2018. But Cassano said Pohl is exaggerating. After winning his fifth term in November 2018, Cassano had said he likely would not run again because of problems with his right knee, which required multiple surgeries. But in January 2020, he told The Courant that the last surgery was successful and he was well enough to keep working for the foreseeable future. Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > Cassano acknowledged saying after past victories that he was not sure if he would seek reelection, but he said such statements were a natural reaction at the end of grueling campaigns. Party endorsements are set for early May. If he does not get Democrats official backing, Cassano said he likely will primary. He also said that if he wins in November, it will be his last two-year term. Crespan, who was born in Uganda during Idi Amins brutal dictatorship, said in a statement announcing her candidacy, I have lived the American Dream. (Courtesy of Jacqueline Crespan) I know what it is like to live without freedom. I love the United States, I love Connecticut, and I truly enjoy public service, Crespan said. I want to help make our state safer, stronger, and more affordable. With support from Democrats, Independents, Republicans and unaffiliated voters, I want to bring my life experience to the State Capitol to be your voice. I will be a senator who listens and works tirelessly on your behalf. The self-employed business woman graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a degree in computer science. She manages real estate properties in Manchester and has over 20 years of experience in information technology, according to a news release. Advertisement My life has been about confronting and overcoming challenges through hard work and perseverance, Crespan said. As your state senator, I will bring that determination to Hartford and fight to improve your quality of life every day. I will collaborate with people of all political parties to help move our state forward. Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com On Sept. 15, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that the White House would ask Connecticut to accept as many as 310 Afghan refugees for resettlement in Connecticut. The effort has gone better than expected. Advertisement As of March 18, more than 700 Afghans had come to live in the state, more than double the original target, thanks to a well-coordinated public-private partnership created by Lamont and strong public support. Its unprecedented, said Chris George, executive director of New Haven-based Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, or IRIS, one of the states two major nonprofit refugee resettlement agencies. Weve never resettled this many people, or gotten this much support individual volunteers, groups, donations in such a short period of time. Advertisement The response really is remarkable. Connecticut is a welcoming state for refugees and immigrants, said Susan Schnitzer, president and CEO of the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants, or CIRI, based in Bridgeport, the other major resettlement agency. The resettlement has been achieved despite sharp reductions in federal funding over the last four years, a result of drastic cuts in refugee admissions by the Trump administration. While all agencies felt the cuts, they caused what had been the largest resettlement agency in Greater Hartford, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Hartford, to halt its refugee resettlement program. We in Connecticut can be proud, though its a shame Catholic Charities isnt still with us, said Robert J. Fishman, executive director of the Connecticut Immigrant & Refugee Coalition, a policy and advocacy group. Now George, Schnitzer, Fishman and others must hit the reset button and welcome an influx of emigres from the war in Ukraine. President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the U.S. would welcome 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, some number of whom can be expected to resettle in Connecticut, home to an estimated 20,000 Ukrainian-Americans. Schnitzer said Thursday she was thrilled with Bidens announcement and said CIRIs recent experience resettling Afghans has prepared the agency and its community partners for expedited and supportive resettlement and accompanying legal services. [ U.S. to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, Connecticut would welcome some with open arms, governor says ] Not refugees The Afghans whove been arriving since September are among some 76,000 of their countrymen, most of whom worked for or were otherwise connected to Americans and were evacuated in a massive 17-day airlift as the Taliban took over the country in August. Technically, most are not refugees; state officials use the term evacuees. A refugee is an alien who has been vetted and certified by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program as having experienced, or having a well-founded fear of, persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. However, the process is lengthy and complex, taking up to two years after acceptance into the program. While a few dozen had special visas or were completing the refugee process, most of the newly arrived Afghans, 649 of 703 as of March 18, were admitted through humanitarian parole, a process which is sometimes offered to people who need to be moved immediately. Also, the government created the Afghan Placement & Assistance Program to provide initial relocation support services for Afghan parolees admitted to the U.S. from August 20, 2021 through March 31, 2022. Officials expect nearly three dozen more Afghans by March 31. Advertisement Typically, the Afghans were flown to a safe haven military base in countries such as Qatar or Kuwait, extensively vetted with background checks, medical screenings including COVID shots and other measures, then flown to military bases in the U.S. From there they were resettled in communities where they had relatives or where a resettlement agency had the capacity to take them. While offering work authorization and some benefits such as SNAP food stamps, the Afghan parole is temporary, lasting two years, and does not offer a path to a green card or citizenship. The Biden administration has also offered temporary protected status to other Afghans, which affords 18 months of similar benefits. Advocates are pushing Congress to pass a law that would allow Afghans who often risked their lives for the U.S. to remain here permanently if they so choose. Since passage of the law is not a certainty, Afghan parolees are being urged to apply for asylum (the New York Times reported last week that the Biden administration has finalized a plan to revamp the asylum process, with the goal of reducing the average time from five years to six months). Schnitzer said CIRI is adding legal staff to help Afghans apply for parole or asylum. It should be noted that the Afghans represent only a tiny portion of the worlds estimated 22.5 million refugees, many of whom wait years in camps until they can come to the U.S. or other receiving countries. In a well-publicized example, the family of Somalia-born U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., the first African-born member of Congress, lived in a camp in Kenya for four years before coming to the U.S. At that they were relatively lucky; the average camp stay is seven years, Schnitzer said. Trump cutbacks Settling the Afghans who made it to this country was made more challenging by the Trump administrations drastic reductions in the number of refugees allowed in. In 2016, the last year of the Obama administration, the cap stood at 110,000. Trump reduced it every year, down to 15,000 in his final year in office (and only about 12,000 came, due in part to COVID restrictions). Trumps action drew criticism on both humanitarian and financial grounds. Federal funding, which goes through national resettlement agencies such as Church World Service, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and six others to local agencies such as CIRI and IRIS, is per capita, based on the number of people served. Fewer people, less money. Advertisement The agencies had to tighten their belts, but Catholic Charities took a bigger hit, closing 31 of 71 programs across the country, according to the National Catholic Reporter. One of them was Hartfords, which had a decades-long tradition of resettling Southeast Asian, Kosovar, Syrian and other refugees, sometimes as many as 300 a year. Hartford Catholic Charities spokesman John P. Noonan said even though his agency is not currently resettling refugee families, if asked, it will make its other programs and services available to families being resettled by other agencies until such time as we are able to resettle families again ourselves. Last year, President Biden raised the refugee cap to 62,500, with a promise to raise it to 125,000 in the coming year. Catholic Charities officials across the country hope this will get them back up to speed helping refugees. But when that door closed in Hartford, another opened down-state. Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, which had resettled some Russian refugees in the 1990s, stepped up and resettled 32 Afghans and then worked with the Connecticut Immigrant & Refugee Coalition, pivoting away from its usual lobbying role, and settled two families 10 people in two apartments in East Hartford provided by Goodwin University. The major agencies used slightly different resettlement methods. Along with using its caseworkers to resettle Afghans, IRIS has developed a co-sponsor model, in which the agency trains and vets volunteer community or faith-based groups, which then do most of the resettlement tasks. The groups agree to raise at least $10,000 for the family, find affordable housing, collect furniture and other household items, help access public benefits such as HUSKY/Medicaid and SNAP/food stamps, enroll children in school and facilitate job searches, among other tasks. Chris George said about 30 groups are participating in the program and have settled about a third of the more than 430 Afghan evacuees IRIS has welcomed to Connecticut. Advertisement CIRI uses the community integration model, where agency caseworkers and managers work with the refugees on all aspects of their initial resettlement. Volunteer groups from faith-based groups and even the Bridgeport Rotary Club help with things such as setting up homes before the family moves in and showing the newcomers how to navigate their new communities. CIRI has resettled more than 220 Afghan evacuees, Schnitzer said, noting that the number varies slightly with secondary migration, people who land in other states then come to Connecticut, or vice-versa. The thrust of both the IRIS and CIRI programs is independence and self-sufficiency. We dont adopt families, says the narrator in an IRIS training video. State role Gov. Lamont appointed an Afghan evacuee coordinator, Elizabeth Nalley of the state Department of Social Services, and created a public-private-nonprofit task force to coordinate state support for the resettlement. The task force met weekly through December and now meets monthly. Schnitzer said it did its job. We got help a lot more quickly. Everybody was really focusing on how to make this work well for the people coming in, she said. She noted that the agencies continued to resettle refugees from other countries as the Afghans were arriving. The task force built a structure of services around the agencies resettlement program. For example, on Feb. 28, the Department of Motor Vehicles held a DMV Day, when evacuees could take the test for learners permits in Dari or Pashto. The Department of Labor offered several job-related programs, one in collaboration with the Connecticut Restaurant Association. Other agencies offered help with housing, health care and other services. Housing was a challenge; a shortage of affordable housing has been a longstanding problem in the state, so the agencies used temporary housing such as hotels until they could get the families into permanent residences, where nearly 90% now reside. As with other immigrant groups, some new arrivals were traumatized by the sudden uprooting to a distant country. Schnitzer said she is looking for counselors who speak Farsi, Dari or Pashto. Task force members are seeking other mental health resources. Advertisement And, as with every other immigrant group who came to Connecticut fleeing war, persecution or natural disaster, most Afghans are looking to work for a better life. The arrivals are from all across the board, George said, from university-education translators to truck drivers. Finally, as with every other immigrant group, some of the people are remarkable. Here are two: Hossna Hossna Samadis husband worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development on projects including womens education, something the Taliban opposed. Fearing for the safety of his family, he brought his wife and two small children to New Haven on special visas in 2016 and then commuted back to Afghanistan until last summer to continue his work. Hossna learned English. She has nearly completed an associates degree at Gateway Community College and plans to start on a bachelors in the fall. She works at a program associated with New Havens innovative Sanctuary Kitchen at CitySeed, where refugee and immigrant chefs hone their culinary and English skills while learning the food business. She volunteers as a translator, speaker and cultural ambassador for IRIS and as an advocate for fellow Afghani and other refugee women. She plans to make womens rights and education her lifes work: I want to help those who havent had opportunity, she said in an interview. This is inspired by her own experience. As a child in the 1990s, she had to go to a secret school in a basement, like growing up in a cage, because the Taliban, then in their first rule of the country, didnt allow womens schooling. When the Taliban took over again last summer she was distraught. I was up all night, I couldnt believe my eyes. I couldnt believe we were going backward. Her husband has rejoined the family, her children are in the third and fifth grade in New Haven, and they are going forward. Advertisement Emal Emal Walizada is a college-educated IT specialist and an inventor, having won awards for a robotic device that detects the presence of explosives. He had an IT business in Kabul developing software for management systems, accounting and other applications. When a friend alerted him that the Taliban were taking the city, he had to make a quick decision. He had family and business ties to the Americans and the (disintegrating) Afghan government. I was not safe, he said. He dropped everything and headed for the airport. He said in an interview he was there for six days with no food and very little water. I saw people drop from dehydration, he said. He finally got a flight to Qatar, was there for 15 days, and then got to Fort Dix, N.J. He was there until late January, living in a room with 46 other people. He had lost everything: the Taliban destroyed his office and his PC server and other computer equipment. He lost his house, car and bank account. Worse, his father died of COVID-19. But his brother, who had worked for a U.S. agency and had gotten out earlier, lived in Hartford with their mother and sister. Emal got on a bus by himself. It almost sounds like a cliche immigrant story, but he indeed had just $5 in his pocket. Advertisement No matter, he got to work. A fellow Afghan connected him with Bob Fishman, who in turn referred him to a nonprofit called International Hartford, started in 2016 by former lawyer and state legislator Art Feltman, which helps refugees and immigrants start and sustain businesses. To help Emal get on his feet, Feltman reached out to a successful immigrant businesswoman named Maggie Drag, who came from Poland three decades ago as a teenager and started a home care agency, Euro-American Connections, in Berlin. She immediately sent a check. Immigrants helping immigrants, she said through a spokesman. Emal just got his drivers license. He has a job stacking shelves in a pharmacy warehouse and is happy to have it, but he is looking forward to being his own boss in his own field. And when that happens, he said, he will pay it forward and help arriving immigrants. He has time he is 23 years old. He said he is very happy to be in Hartford. Helping Afghans or other immigrants is not a one-way street. Immigrants are very good for the economy. Feltman said immigrants are twice as likely as other Americans to start a business; they launch 30% of new firms in Connecticut. He said there are more than 37,000 foreign-born entrepreneurs in Connecticut. While immigrants comprise 15% of the states population, they own 24% of its businesses, he said. By starting a business, immigrants avoid a problem Feltman sees regularly: being underemployed because their skills or credentials from their native countries arent recognized here. Advertisement Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > Fishman is working with Feltman and the Community Renewal Teams Womens Empowerment Center to help Afghan women start businesses in Greater Hartford. Ukrainians More than 3 million Ukrainians have fled to Poland and other neighboring countries as the Russian invasion of their country grinds on. Some have even flown to Mexico to try to enter the U.S. from the south. Bidens announcement Thursday came in response to growing public sympathy and support for welcoming more Ukrainians into this country. Prior to Thursdays announcement, the administration had granted temporary protected status to Ukrainians who were in the country as of March 1. Also, U.S. embassies and consulates in Eastern Europe have been expediting visa processing for immediate family members of U.S. citizens but reportedly are overwhelmed. Politico reported Thursday that not all of the 100,000 Ukrainians will be admitted through the refugee admission program or during this fiscal year. A full range of pathways will be utilized, including humanitarian parole and immigrant or nonimmigrant visas. Can Connecticut handle another wave of arrivals? Chris George answered simply: Yes. Advertisement This reporting was made possible, in part, through generous support from Robert W. Fiondella and the Fiondella Family Trust. An administrator at Yales Universitys school of medicine admitted in court Monday that she stole millions of dollars from the school by purchasing $40 million or more in computer equipment through school accounts and secretly reselling it for her own profit. For years, Jamie Petrone, lead administrator at the medical schools emergency medicine department, was authorized to purchase computer electronics for the school without approval as long as the purchase amounts were below $10,000. At least as early as 2013, she is accused of ordering, or instructing her employees to place large orders, for equipment in amounts below the $10,000 threshold and then arranging its sales to businesses. Advertisement She is accused of spending the stolen money on personal expenses, including expensive cars, real estate and travel. In a voluntary interview with the FBI in August, Petrone, 42, of formerly of Naugatuck, said she had been defrauding her school through phony computer buys for several years, possibly as many as 10 years, and that approximately 90% of her computer-related purchases were fraudulent, according to a law enforcement affidavit. Advertisement Petrone worked at the medical school or Yale New Haven Hospital in a variety of positions since 1999. She was questioned by her employers at least once, in 2020, about a budget variance and a high volume of computer purchases and explained by saying that her department was updating equipment in addition to working with Yale New Haven Health on a new program. Not long afterward, the school received an anonymous tip that she was ordering suspiciously high volumes of computer equipment, some of which was placed into her personal vehicle, according to government court filings. The schools investigation, provided to the FBI, showed that since 2018, Petrone drafted thousands of purchase orders below $10,000, and the value of the purchases requested by or for Petrone since fiscal year 2018 is estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars, federal prosecutors said. Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > In one transaction described in court filings, federal prosecutors said Petrone instructed an assistant to order 100 computer tablets worth about $115,000 last year after breaking the purchase into 13 smaller orders, each valued at less than $10,000. The tablets were shipped to a business with an address on Long Island, where delivery was accepted by an individual prosecutors said was convicted in New York in 2012 for enterprise corruption. Bank transfer records show that the Long Island business transferred about $1.4 million to a since-dissolved business in which Petrone was principal, including about $71,000 associated with the sale of the computer tablets, according to court filing by federal prosecutors. Petrone pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. She filed false federal tax returns for the 2013 through 2016 tax years, in which she falsely claimed as business expenses the costs of the stolen equipment, and failed to file any federal tax returns for the 2017 through 2020 tax years. This caused a loss of $6,416,618 to the U.S. Treasury. She faces as much as 20 years in prison when sentenced. Yale spokesperson Karen Peart said Petrone, a former administrative employee of the Yale School of Medicines Department of Emergency Medicine, accepted a plea agreement in connection with her September 2021 arrest for using Yale funds to purchase electronics that were then resold for personal gain. Yale initially alerted authorities to evidence of suspected criminal behavior last year and fully cooperated throughout the investigation, Peart said. The university thanks local law enforcement, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for their handling of the case. Since the incident, Yale has worked to identify and correct gaps in its internal financial controls. Advertisement Petrone also was ordered to turn over to the government $560,421.14 seized from a business bank account, a 2014 Mercedes-Benz G550, a 2017 Land Rover, a 2015 Cadillac Escalade Premium, a 2020 Mercedes Benz Model E450A, a 2016 Cadillac Escalade, and a 2018 Dodge Charger. Petrone also has agreed to liquidate three Connecticut properties that she owns or co-owns to help satisfy an order that she repay Yale. A property she owns in Georgia is also subject to seizure. Lawyers representing three defendants in a high-profile Norfolk murder case contended Friday that the Virginia Supreme Court has in recent years unlawfully stripped defendants of a crucial constitutional right. The states highest court began issuing a series of emergency orders stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns in early 2020 that essentially waived defendants rights to have their cases heard in a timely way. Advertisement The orders, these attorneys maintain, violate the constitutional guarantee of a speedy and public trial by jury afforded in the Bill of Rights. It is unconstitutional on its face, one of those attorneys, Emily M. Munn, said of the Virginia Supreme Courts stopping of the speedy trial clock. The right to have cases heard quickly, she said, is a bedrock of our society and a cornerstone of the American criminal justice system that cant be simply set aside. Advertisement The attorneys are representing three of the four defendants arrested in August and charged in the June 2011 slaying of Old Dominion University student Christopher Cummings at an apartment near the school. Cummings was the nephew of U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, who died in 2019. Norfolk police announced on Aug. 12, 2021, charged four men were charged in connection with a shooting that killed one man and injured another in 2011. (Courtesy of Norfolk Police Department) The defendants are charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, malicious wounding in the shooting of another man and various other charges. Their lawyers contend that beginning in 2020, the Virginia Supreme Court has unfairly removed the key mechanism the ticking time clock that forces prosecutors to get cases to trial. They also assert that because Norfolk prosecutors know the delays arent being held against them, they have dragged their feet on setting trials. Under the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed. The constitution doesnt define speedy, leaving that to the states. Under Virginia law, prosecutors have five months from an indictment to bring jailed inmates to trial and nine months if they are not in custody. Delays caused or agreed to by the defense also a primary reason for slow dockets arent held against prosecutors. But a failure by the prosecution to abide by the rules can lead to inmates being released or their charges dismissed. In the Cummings case, it took Norfolk detectives 10 years to bring charges in what had become a cold case. But its now been more than seven months since the four defendants were indicted in August. Because the men are being jailed pending trial, the deadline to get the case to trial typically would have expired two months ago. In this case, trial dates have only begun to be set. Advertisement U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, the uncle of slain ODU student Christopher Cummings, a 20-year-old junior, who was fatally shot in his rental house on West 42nd Street, pauses during a press conference in front of his late nephew's rental property, Sept. 5, 2011 in Norfolk. (Brad Vest) Norfolk Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Madeline Woodruff responded that before setting the trial date, prosecutors were attempting to streamline the process by pushing to hold one trial with four defendants rather than four separate trials. But that decision required a hearing before a judge, and prosecutors contend it was actually defense lawyers dragging their feet on the hearing that was ultimately held Friday. Unfortunately, court dockets strained by the Covid-19 pandemic, scheduling conflicts and outright refusal among the five attorneys involved in the case have made setting a court date for the joinder hearing a very difficult task, Woodruff wrote. Christopher Cummings, 20, died in an attack early in the morning on June 10, 2011. Every one of the dates proposed by the Commonwealth has been turned down by one of the four defense attorneys on account of court date conflicts, vacation days, or medical procedure, she added. The prosecutor showed Norfolk Circuit Court Judge David W. Lannetti a stack of emails between her office and five defense lawyers that she said showed a good faith effort by prosecutors to set the hearing. An attorney for a fourth defendant was successful in getting a five-day trial scheduled for June, and Lannetti asked another attorney why he didnt take it upon himself to set the trial date. Advertisement But the defense lawyers contend that trial dates are traditionally the prosecutions job to spearhead, and that Norfolk prosecutors in this case did not take the normal steps to begin that process. Munn, who represents Javon Doyle, cited the Magna Carta, a foundational document of basic human rights signed by an English king in 1215. The document says in part that no one will be denied or delayed justice. Virginians were trailblazers in the effort to promptly memorialize the rights that Americans demanded in their new republic, and the right to a speedy trial was among the most important and earliest ones, Munn wrote in a filing. Munn contended the Virginia Supreme Court orders to toll speedy trial or stop the clock from ticking have no backing in law. Such a blanket denial of a constitutional right cannot stand, she said, saying the pending charges against her client should be dismissed. Nathaniel Chapman, a Norfolk lawyer representing Ahmad Watson, one of the other men charged in the 2011 slaying, also asserts that the high courts orders are unconstitutional. The Virginia Supreme Court does not have the authority to summarily disregard our right to a speedy trial ... guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, he said at Fridays hearing. Advertisement Life has resumed, Chapman said, saying that restaurants, businesses and schools are back. But guess whats not going on? The commonwealth is not setting a trial date for my client. The lawyers point out that many trials have gone forward in Norfolk in recent months, albeit with pandemic-related protections in place. Jurors have been reprimanded for failing to show up for jury duty. It no longer makes sense, they say, to give prosecutors such an easy out. Eric Korslund, who represents defendant Rashad Dooley, said the Virginia Supreme Court tolled the speedy trial rules for the courts purpose to help everyone deal with the pandemic not for the commonwealths purpose. Its disingenuous ... for the (the prosecution) to rely on this order that wasnt intended for them, he said. Woodruff, the Norfolk prosecutor, countered that by stopping the clock on speedy trial, the Virginia Supreme Court simply acknowledges the strain the pandemic has put on the Virginia court system which has made it far more difficult than usual to meet regularly scheduled deadlines. She said a determination that a defendants Sixth Amendment rights have been violated is determined by a four-factor test the U.S. Supreme Court outlined in a prior case. Advertisement That includes the length of the delay, the reason for it including whether it was a deliberate attempt by prosecutors to hamper the defendants case as well as whether the defendant asserted the right, and the prejudice to the defendant by the delay. Applying those factors to the Cummings case, Woodruff said, makes clear theres no violation. Lannetti, who has so far not made a ruling, is now in the position of having to rule on whether the states highest court issued unconstitutional pandemic orders. If he rules the orders were lawful, the attorneys are expected to take their argument to U.S. District Court in Norfolk. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Also Friday, Lannetti ruled that there would be four separate trials in the Cummings case. The prosecution had contended that one large trial would help with judicial economy, saving time and expense and sparing key witnesses from having to come to court four times. But defense lawyers contended they needed to be able to confront the witnesses against their clients, such as grilling them on the stand, and some of the people they want to grill could include the other men charged. The lawyers cant do that, they said, if they are all co-defendants in the case. Advertisement Judicial economy, or the convenience to the commonwealth, can never trump a defendants rights, said Asha Pandya, a Norfolk lawyer representing defendant Kwaume Edwards, She contended that one joint trial would lead to mistrial after mistrial after mistrial. In the end, Lannetti sided with the defense on that point. Watsons trial date is now set for September. The trial dates for Doyle and Dooley havent yet been worked out. Edwards already has a five-day trial date set for June after Pandya pressed the issue earlier. Peter Dujardin, 757-247-4749, pdujardin@dailypress.com Hyderabad: A day after the birth of a boy, his parents from Siddipet district sold the infant for Rs 20,000 in order to overcome the severe financial crisis they reportedly were in. Coming to know of the incident, officials from Nizamabad district health and medical department rescued the new-born and shifted him to a child protection home. On interrogation, the couple told the police that they had sold the baby as they had no money to take care of the baby. Police have registered a case and are counselling the parents. Dichpalli police said that the couple Komaraiah and Bheemavva came to Mahalaxminagar of Dichpally some months back and were living in a hut. As the delivery date drew near, Bheemavva was admitted to the government hospital on Saturday. "Bheemavva gave birth to a healthy baby boy Saturday night. Just hours after being discharged by the doctors, they sold the baby to people known to them for Rs 20,000. Some locals noticed the incident and alerted district medical and health officials," police said. Immediately, the officials with the assistance of Dichpally police swung into action and rescued the infant, police said. Nepal, China vow to deepen friendship, support each other in safeguarding core interests Xinhua) 09:03, March 28, 2022 Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari (1st R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2022. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) KATHMANDU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Nepal and China pledged here Sunday to deepen their friendship and continue to firmly support each other in safeguarding their core interests. While meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari said Nepal and China have enjoyed profound friendship and they are good neighbors and good friends. Nepal is pleased to see that China has made great achievements in its development and Nepal has benefited a lot from China's development, the Nepali president said. Nepal will, as always, stay committed to developing friendly relations with China and sticking to the one-China policy, Bhandari said. Expressing gratitude for China's selfless assistance in Nepal's socioeconomic development, especially in the post-quake reconstruction and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhandari said Nepal is ready to work together with China to push forward the joint building of the Belt and Road. For his part, Wang said China and Nepal are good friends and good partners, with friendship dating back over a thousand years. Both sides have been supporting and helping each other, becoming a model for equal treatment, mutual respect and win-win cooperation between countries of different sizes. The Chinese side cherishes the traditional friendship between China and Nepal, and will continue to support Nepal in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and national dignity, exploring a development path suited to its own interests, and pursuing independent domestic and foreign policies, Wang said. China stands ready to work with the Nepali side to deepen bilateral friendship, and continue to firmly support each other in safeguarding their core interests, Wang said. Bhandari said her country never approves the slanders by certain international forces against both China and the Communist Party of China, and it wishes and firmly believes that China's path and the China model will achieve greater success. Wang said the Chinese side is happy to see that friendship with China has become a social consensus going beyond parties and different party factions in Nepal. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen exchanges with Nepal's political parties and different party factions on state governance experience, and join hands to push forward the cause of promoting democracy and human rights for mankind, Wang said. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday threatened to launch protests against the Central Bureau of Investigation if it acts at the BJPs behest while probing the massacre at Rampurhat, Birbhum. Initially welcoming the CBI probe into the carnage and promising to cooperation with the agency, the Trinamul Congress supremo pointed out at a government programme in Siliguri that the CBI had earlier failed to solve several high-profile cases in the state. She said: I still think there is a big conspiracy behind the Rampurhat carnage. It was orchestrated in a conspiracy. We want justice. Our special investigation team did a lot of work after the incident. The CBI was later handed over the probe. It was a good move. Let the CBI do its job. We will extend our cooperation. The CM added: But if the CBI does not do its job and acts on the words of the BJP, Congress and CPI(M), we will hit the streets for a movement because we have seen no justice till date in the Nobel theft case at Santiniketan though the case was handed over to the CBI. In Nandigram, the probe of the mass murder of 14 persons were given to the CBI but no justice came. Similar were the cases of seven persons' killings in Netai and the burning alive of a girl by CPI(M) workers in Singur, CBI could not deliver justice. Taking a dig at the BJP, she sarcastically noted: The chorus for a CBI probe grows now even if there is a fight between Dadu-Naati (grandfather-grandson) or Maa-Meye (mother-daughter)! How much would you stoop low to? Ms Banerjee alleged that the carnage was an attempt by the Opposition to hinder key industrial projects like the Deocha-Panchami coal block which is also located in Birbhum. You are playing politics on the dead bodies because you do not want employment here. We want one lakh jobs for the youth at the Deocha-Panchami project. But you masterminded Rampurhat massacre so that the project does not happen and the youth do not get jobs. It is clear that is the motive. There is so much jealousy over our motto of industrialisation, she claimed. The CM announced that a project like Didi Ke Bolo (Talk to Didi) would be launched after two months in the state to allow the people to lodge their grievances on the law and order and corruption to her directly over a phone call. During the day, the CBI questioned the four arrested accused, including local TMC leaders Anarul Hossain and Azad Choudhury, and recorded their statements at a camp office at Rampurhat, apart from visiting a hospital where the injured were admitted. Anarul and Azad, who spoke to each other over the phone in between TMC deputy chief Bhadu Sheikh and the arson on March 21 night, were cross-examined as well. Anarul later told the media: I have become a victim of conspiracy. There are many others involved in the case. Nellore: Elaborate security arrangements are being made for the visit of Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy to Nellore on Monday. He would take part in the condolence meeting for deceased minister, Mekapati Goutham Reddy, arranged by the YSR Congress party. Police deployed nearly 1,000 policemen for the CMs security cover. Cops conducted a convoy trial on Sunday. The CM would reach Nellore around 11.30am from Renigunta and proceed to VPR Convention Centre, the venue of the meeting. He will address the gathering and return to Renigunta around 1pm. Drinking water facility is being arranged for the people at the venue in view of the summer heat. Three fire-fighting units are kept ready at the helipad. Medical and Health staff have been asked to keep ORS packets and necessary medicines ready to deal with sunstroke cases if any. Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday directed the state government not to fell trees on 100 acres of land allotted for setting up the National Prison Academy in Kotrepally, abutting the Damagundem forests in Vikarabad district, till further orders. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili took a serious view of the government not filing its response to notices were issued earlier on the matter after a PIL was filed. The PIL, filed by the Damagundam Forest Protection JAC, a registered society, had complained about the governments approval to cut more than one lakh trees in the land. The petitioners said the land was adjacent to the forest and it contained rare species of trees and plants with medical value. They also said that the land in the survey number measured 300 acres, no land allowed for cultivation and was not being assigned for any person though it was not forest land. Rachana V., counsel for the petitioners, submitted that documents prepared by the Survey of India in 1969 had showed larger forest cover in the Damagundem forest compared to that of 2001-02. Further, counsel said that till 2021 the government had furnished to the court that the land would not be handed over to any department. Now, all of sudden, it was planning to remove the green cover in the guise of establishing the National Prison Academy. After hearing the contentions, the court directed the government not to cut trees in the land till the next date of hearing and adjourned the PIL to after summer vacation. VIJAYAWADA: AP Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath has refuted the CAGs observation of a Rs 48,000 crore financial irregularity by the state government. The CAG report has said that the state government, without showing accounts, used as much amount. The minister said the state government gave a clarification to CAG about the funds. There are no special bills in CFMS. To identify book adjustment transactions in CFMS reporting, the name of special bills was used. There is no head on special bills. He said the finance department secretary wrote a letter to CAG giving its clarification on the doubts raised over the absence of funds, and explaining that no such cash transactions were held and no corruption had occurred. The total expenditure for the financial year 2020-21 was Rs 2,03,448 crore (including state development corporation expenditure). Of this, Rs 66,470 crore was for government employees' salaries, Rs 33,753 crore for debt and interest payments and Rs 65,447 crore for cash transfer schemes and other schemes, leaving a total of Rs 37,774 crore, it was explained. The capital expenditure, he said, was Rs 18,145 crore, which included Nadu-Nedu, Manabadi, hospital works and road construction. If all the details are so transparent and clear, then how can the TD level allegations of a Rs 48,000 crore misuse or corruption, he asked. The finance minister said the remarks and allegations made by TD leader and former finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu on the state's financial situation were untrue. Rejecting the allegation that Rs 48,000 crore went into the hands of state government officials, the minister said it is important to realize that this is a book adjustment transaction that has taken place by the end of the financial year. There are no special bills in CFMS which was designed to be chaotic and flawed during the term of Chandrababu Naidu. This has caused much confusion, he said. The minister said that in fact there were no special bills in this system. The CFMS reporting system is called the Special Bills for Identifying Book Adjustments, except that the head of the special bills is nothing. He said CFMS was not systematically organised. Thats why book adjustment transactions are shown under special bills. This authority was transferred to the CFMS CEO by the finance ministry officials as the treasury officials do not currently have the facility to make book adjustment transactions in the CFMS. Rajendranath clarified that the entire process was done in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury. The finance secretary wrote a detailed letter to the CAG stating that at the end of the financial year, such a book adjustment transaction is done manually by the treasury officials before the CFMS system is established. After the formation of this system, this power was vested in the CEO of CFMS himself. No cash transaction was made in this whole transaction. How can corruption happen when there are no cash transactions? Rajendranth claimed that it was not this government that introduced this system but it was following the system introduced in 2018 by the then TD government." Under this, the CFMS CEO was given the power to squander the remaining funds without spending in various branches. The TD government had shown 98,049 book-adjustment-transactions as special bills in 2018-29 and the YSRC government had shown only 54,183 book adjustment transactions as special bills in the 2020-21 financial year. The development comes when Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is set to begn his visit India from April 3, his first such visit after assuming office last year. (AFP Image) Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has tested positive for COVID-19, days ahead of his scheduled visit to India, media reports citing his office said on Monday. The development comes when Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is set to begn his visit India from April 3, his first such visit after assuming office last year. Naftali is undertaking the visit on the occasion of the commemoration of 30 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel. Bennett is paying the visit to India from April 3-5 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official statement. Both the leaders had earlier met on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow in November last year. They also had a telephonic conversation on August 16, 2021. "The visit by Bennett would be his first to India in his capacity as Prime Minister. This visit would take place on the occasion of the commemoration of 30 years of full diplomatic relations between India and Israel and 75 years of India's Independence," MEA said in a statement. India and Israel elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Israel in July 2017. Since then, the two countries have continued to deepen their strategic partnership, with a focus on innovation and research, read the statement. "The visit by the Prime Minister of Israel is expected to further strengthen our excellent bilateral cooperation in diverse areas, including agriculture, water, trade, education and science and technology," the statement added. Israel is experiencing a modest increase in COVID-19 infections as an omicron spreads there as in many other countries. Bennett and nearly half of Israel have received three vaccinations, according to the Washington Post. 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. 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. Washington unqualified to draw redlines for others By Global Times editorial (Global Times) 09:04, March 28, 2022 Illustration: Liu Rui/GT US President Joe Biden wrapped up his visit to Europe on Saturday. During his four-day trip, Biden engaged in intensive diplomatic events focusing on the Ukraine crisis. He attended summits of NATO, G7 and EU. However, after so many summits with the aim to strengthen the role of so-called trans-Atlantic alliance, no actual measure was put forward to promote peace and talks - not even a public statement. In contrast, Biden motivated the enhancement of sanctions on Russia, striving to prevent his European allies from falling back on this issue. Besides, the joint statement, which demonstrates Washington's stance, even took an aim at China, demanding that China cooperate with the West's sanctions. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previously set redlines. He told reporters that China and every significant economy should not take advantage of business opportunities created by sanctions, help Moscow evade export controls or process its banned financial transactions. As the initiator of the Ukraine crisis, the US is trying to push the entire world into its huge trap. The US has lured and threatened developing countries including China, attempting to make the international community share the responsibilities and consequences of the crisis. Nevertheless, it must be pointed out that no other country is obligated to pay the price for the crisis created by the US and that Washington is not qualified to set redlines for other countries. During Biden's trip to Europe, the US and the EU signed a historic agreement on?liquefied?natural gas, in a bid to reduce?Europe's?reliance on Russian energy. But many Western media expressed pessimism about the deal because the US doesn't have enough capacity to export more gas, so the deal will be largely symbolic. This is the strategic risk Washington is happy to take: It has only the ambition to create chaos but has no intent to clean up the mess. From Afghanistan to Iraq and Syria, the US has left the world in too many messes. After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US has continued to escalate sanctions against Russia and coerce the world to choose sides, adding to the hardship of global economic recovery and causing undue damage to the livelihoods of all countries. People see that the US is turning into a deformed giant, with an arm of sanctions or even war used to suppress others becoming exceptionally developed, and the arm of peace and development becoming greatly atrophied and degenerated. This has led Washington to claim to oppose war while waging war on all fronts, and to claim to maintain peace while wantonly destroying it. In the 1990s, former US diplomat George Kennan, known as the "father of containment," warned that "expanding NATO would be the most fatal error of American policy in the entire post-cold-war era." If NATO's expansion is the decision of politicians with a penchant for zero-sum games, then Washington has to face the reality that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Although the US has a muscular arm to suppress others, it is still facing an increasingly stretched dilemma, and it cannot weave a network of sanctions against Russia alone. It needs the firm support of its allies, as well as the broad cooperation of non-Western countries. That's why warning China not to support Russia has become a deliberately prominent issue in Washington, while pulling in its allies to reinforce sanctions against Russia. Thus, it continues to suppress China, which it considers its strategic rival, while expecting China to cooperate with it in sanctioning Russia. Of course, there is a deeper reason for this: The US would rather have a two-front war against China and Russia, lest China be given a strategic respite. There are waves of smears against China from the US to prevent it from staying out of this trouble. The US has long sought enemies around the globe, and even if there is none, it creates one. We might remind Washington that the established?powers are often not defeated by emerging powers, but dragged down by the cost of maintaining hegemony. Recently, the US wanted to kick Russia out of the G20, but several countries have clearly expressed their opposition. Today's world is no longer in the era when a few countries like the US can hoodwink the public; most countries will not join the "self-mutilating game" by helping the US maintain its hegemony. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Face to face by video, Joe Biden laid out to Xi Jinping on March 18 the stiff consequences the Chinese would face from the U.S. if they provide military or economic assistance for Russias invasion of Ukraine. Get to know the Emporia and area baseball and softball teams in the 2022 Baseball and Softball special section. READ NOW 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. Chinese FM stresses support in safeguarding each others core interests in meeting with Nepali leaders By Cui Fandi (Global Times) 09:10, March 28, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs On Sunday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari in the last stop of his diplomatic visit to China's four neighboring countries in Asia. The West seemed caught off-guard by the top Chinese diplomat's visit to China's neighboring countries in Asia at this juncture, but experts pointed out that it is a continuation of China's consistent diplomatic strategy and a reflection of China's image as a responsible power. Wang's visit to Nepal is the highest-level visit by a Chinese delegation since Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba assumed office in July 2021, which also came after Nepal's ratification of a $500 million grant from the US through the MCC agreement. At the meeting, Bhandari said that Nepal will always be committed to developing friendly relations with China, and thanked China for its help with Nepal's economic and social development, especially with post-earthquake rescue and reconstruction and during the COVID-19 epidemic. She said that Nepal is willing to work with China to promote the Belt and Road Initiative in the country. China and Nepal have been good relatives and friends for thousands of years, having always supported each other and setting an example of win-win cooperation between large and small countries, Wang said. We are glad to see that friendship with China has become a social consensus that transcends all parties in Nepal, he said. Wang also met with Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka. During these meetings, Wang stressed that China opposes any attempt to undermine Nepal's sovereignty and independence, interfere in its internal affairs and engage in geopolitical games in the country. The visit "could not have come at a more appropriate time than now" as both sides have the opportunity to make amends and clear outstanding issues, commented Nepali media outlet The Kathamandu Post. Throughout history, China and Nepal have been friendly neighbors. But after the inauguration of the US-promoted MCC agreement in Nepal, China and Nepal's diplomacy is facing a new situation, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Sunday. "Wang's visit to Nepal in this context creates positive and friendly conditions for the development of China-Nepal relations for the better," Qian said, noting that the Belt and Road Initiative will be actively promoted. According to Nepali media, at least 10 agreements were likely to be signed during Wang's three-day stay in Kathmandu. Before landing in Nepal, Wang visited Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. His tour to these Asian countries came off as quite unexpected to some Western countries which have been focused on the Ukraine issue. "The world is a big place, and China does not ignore other regions beyond the hot spots," Lu Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told the Global Times on Sunday. China is doing all-round diplomacy, Lu said. "While calling for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine issue, China is also leading a peaceful and united environment in the surrounding regions as much as possible." Qian noted that this is the path of diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. "In crises, China does not instigate conflict, but actively advocates peaceful solutions. Outside of hotspots, China is committed to reaching out to a wide range of developing countries to achieve peace and development in a shared community of common destiny." Wang's whirlwind tour to four of China's neighboring countries in Asia is likely to bear friendly fruits in the near future, especially regarding regional stability, experts told the Global Times. In early March, Wang Yi said that global governance will enter the Asian time in 2022. Qian pointed out that Asian countries remain committed to peace and development, the main themes of human society. "This is in stark contrast to some Western countries, seeking their own security through putting other countries under danger," Qian said. "Such a contrast also shows that China is a peace-loving and responsible country for the common cause of mankind." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The West cannot afford to be complacent about the Iranian threat By Amb. Dore Gold web posted March 28, 2022 Shahab-3 ballistic missiles stored in underground tunnels Without some major change in Iranian intentions, European countries could soon become targets of Irans increasingly robust missile forces. As Iranian and Western negotiators reportedly edge closer to agreement on Irans nuclear future, many commentators will be asking themselves a similar question. Will a new deal endure and provide stability for the Middle East and the world? As always, the key factor when determining whether an arms control treaty will actually work is the readiness of both parties to stick to its terms. Here, recent history does not bode well. Back in March 2004, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) discovered that at a nuclear site in Iran, known as Lavizan-Shian, six buildings had been dismantled and the earth in the area dug out to a depth of about 2 meters. Tehran had committed itself to allowing inspections under an IAEA Safeguards Agreement. Yet the apparent purpose of the removal of this dirt was to make it more difficult, if not impossible, to obtain radioactive samples. A great deal has changed since 2004 and not for the better. True, the P-5 plus one powers (China, France, Russia, the UK and US; plus Germany)concluded a nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015, the JCPOA, which was left unsigned. This deal suffered from a number of notable blind-spots particularly its failure to cover Iranian missiles or any delivery systems. In the past, when the UN drafted resolutions covering Saddam Husseins weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, they required that ballistic missiles beyond the range of 150 kilometers had to be removed or destroyed under international supervision. Missiles of this range were prohibited outright; they could not be manufactured or transferred to surrogates like Hezbollah. A decade later, and no such provisions were created for Iran under the JCPOA. Consequently Irans ballistic missile capacity grew, both in numbers and quality, including the range and accuracy of its missile force. Today, even before it perfects a deliverable nuclear weapon, Iran is already altering the balance of power in the region, as demonstrated by the January 2020 Iranian attack against US troops at the Ayn al-Assad Airbase in Western Iraq, that left 110 American servicemen with brain injuries. Iranian proxy forces, such as Yemens Houthi movement, have unleashed repeated strikes in the last three years at the heart of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, using ballistic missiles and drones. The outgoing commander of the US Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, issued a statement in mid-March saying that Iran now had 3,000 ballistic missiles. These, he argued, had become the greatest threat to Middle Eastern security. Moreover Irans proxy, Hezbollah, had acquired nearly 150,000 rockets. Supporters of the deal argued that reaching some agreement over its nuclear capabilities would help moderate Irans overall behaviour. But this proposition was soon tested with the conclusion of the JCPOA in 2015. In the event, the exact opposite occurred. According to one British study, after 2015, the number of militant Shiite militias rapidly increased. The Middle East became far more dangerous. The removal of Western economic sanctions prepared the groundwork for funding militias across the region, especially in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was Irans chosen instrument for spreading the new militancy. Stripping the IRGC of its terrorist label, as the JCPOA did, is not just morally and factually wrong, it is likely to empower that network to conduct more attacks since it reintroduces a degree of impunity to IRGC actions, even when they are incontrovertibly acts of terror. Earlier this year, the IRGC took credit for a rocket attack targeting the US Consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, launched with a dozen Iranian rockets. The IRGCs role should not have come as a surprise. It has been a pivotal player in some of the worst Iranian-backed strikes since it was formed not long after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The IRGC had a role to play in the attack by Shiite militants in Beirut in 1983, when the US Marine Corps barracks was bombed and 241 US servicemen lost their lives. It was also instrumental in organising the 1996 attack on Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed US Air Force personnel. Its role has become global, extending well beyond the Middle East. In 2015, its partner, Hezbollah, was caught stockpiling explosives on the outskirts of London. One of the legacies of the 9/11 attacks was to alert the West to the dangers emanating from Sunni organisations such as al-Qaeda. Yet through the work of the IRGC, a powerful Shiite militancy is also spreading, promulgated by Iran. This cannot be overlooked. The ongoing negotiations between the West and Iran will undoubtedly influence Tehrans power projection capabilities in the future. Without some major change in Iranian intentions towards Western states, European countries are not likely to remain merely political rivals. They could soon become the very real targets of Irans increasingly robust missile forces. Ambassador Dore Gold has served as President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs since 2000. From June 2015 until October 2016 he served as Director-General of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previously he served as Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels Ambassador to the UN (1997-1999), and as an advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Home America's real heroes models of service and sacrifice By Mark Alexander web posted March 28, 2022 In a recent column , I noted that, despite all the divisive noise from the Beltway babblers, there is much good and right about our great nation. Indeed there is; all one need do is look around. I also wrote that the word "hero" is grossly overused and misapplied, and offered my own definition of "hero" in the proper context : "An ordinary person faced with extraordinary circumstances, summoning the greatest measure of courage in order to place his or her life at immediate risk to save the life of another." Thus, "hero" is a word that should be reserved exclusively for that level of service and sacrifice, be it by an average citizen, a first responder, or a military Patriot. Like "hero," national day proclamations have also been diluted with nonsense, but some days of recognition are actually significant. This week, we honor one group of real heroes, those who themselves have honored their oaths " to support and defend " our Constitution, and their fellow warriors, at great risk of blood and life. National Medal of Honor Day was an opportunity to recognize the recipients of our nation's highest military award, and to remember their extraordinary sacrifice on behalf of their brothers in arms and in defense of American Liberty . It marks the anniversary observance of the first medals awarded on March 25, 1863, for actions by Andrews' Raiders. Their valorous acts were immortalized in print and film as "The Great Locomotive Chase," which started in Big Shanty, Georgia, on April 12, 1862, and ended just south of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Notably, Chattanooga was also the field of service for the only woman to be awarded a Medal of Honor, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker . Other well-known recipients from our area include World War I veteran Alvin C. York , whose life story was immortalized in the film " Sergeant York ," and my old neighbor, World War II veteran Desmond Doss, whose heroic actions were featured in the outstanding film " Hacksaw Ridge ." Today, I invite you to take a minute and read about another friend I first met a decade ago, Sammy Lee Davis a man who, in the face of mortal danger, demonstrated "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." Sgt. Sammy Davis (USA Ret.) is better known as " The Real Forrest Gump ," because his combat service and the awarding of his Medal of Honor were written into the popular film "Forrest Gump." Sammy's Medal of Honor citation notes his actions on 18 November 1967, in an area near Cai Lai in the Republic of Vietnam "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." While serving with Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Artillery, 9th Infantry Division, then-PFC Davis was involved in heavy action during a night attack by a reinforced Viet Cong Battalion. During the action in which his squad fired a 105mm howitzer with beehive rounds directly into the enemy, Davis defended the gun position with a machine gun, providing covering fire for his gun crew until an enemy recoilless rifle round scored a direct hit on the artillery piece, blowing the crew and Davis from their positions. Davis returned to the gun emplacement and began firing directly into the attacking enemy while ignoring his own safety. He was wounded a second time when an enemy mortar round exploded nearby. Although badly injured, Sammy returned to his position again and continued firing until he had expended all rounds. Then, after hearing calls for help from across the nearby river, Sammy, who was unable to swim because of his injuries, used a flotation device to get across the river, where he both defended and rescued three of his fellow soldiers who were also badly wounded. Once back across the river, Sammy refused medical attention and returned to the fight, joining another howitzer crew until the enemy broke contact. You can watch Sammy recount the events of that terrible night here . On a lighter note, he learned to play the harmonica in Vietnam, and on one trip to our area to visit Desmond Doss, he blessed him on an east brow overlook of the valley at dusk one evening by playing his trademark tune, "Shenandoah." Sammy embodies all that is good and right about America. And, as is the case with all the Medal of Honor recipients I've met over the years, Sammy is a model of humility and civility unless, of course, you mention the traitorous John Kerry or Jane Fonda , names that evoke the strongest condemnation among distinguished Vietnam veterans. On Patriotism, he says, "Do what you know is right in your heart." Duty, honor, country. He is quick to note that everyone can serve our country it doesn't have to be in the military. "Service to others is what makes true happiness within our families and community." One of the greatest things about visits from Sammy is that he is always with his lovely bride, Dixie. You will never meet two people more imbued with life and love for each other and our great country. Today, his motto is, "You don't lose 'til you quit trying." And he never has. That is the subject of his book by that title with the subtitle, "Lessons on Adversity and Victory from a Vietnam Veteran and Medal of Honor Recipient." (If you would like to purchase a signed and inscribed copy of his book, or Dixie's Endless Love and Second Chances, use the comment link below this article to request information on how to do that.) Fellow Patriots, if you ever find yourself short of inspiration, I have profiled some of Sammy's friends, among others , whom I have had the distinct blessing of knowing for many years: Medal of Honor recipients Cpl. Desmond Doss (Army), Sgt. Gary Beikirch (Army), T/Sgt. Charles Coolidge (Army), Lt. Col. Chuck Hagemeister (Army), Col. Wesley Fox (Marine), and Col. Leo Thorsness (Air Force). On the subject of inspiration, Col. Thorsness always mentioned in his public remarks a fellow POW, Navy pilot Mike Christian. Mike was the subject of a column, " Our Flag What Do You See? ," and a children's book we published, I'm Your Flag So Please Treat Me Right! Finally, I have the honor and privilege of serving on the Advisory Board for the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, dedicated to educating the next generation of Americans about the six character trait pillars demonstrated by Medal of Honor recipients: Courage, Sacrifice, Patriotism, Citizenship, Integrity, Commitment. For more information on supporting the National Heritage Center, please contact the Patriot Foundation Trust administrator or visit the Heritage Center website . I leave you with two quotes, the first of which greets all visitors to the Heritage Center: "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13) The second is the timeless words of Thomas Jefferson at the dawn of the American Revolution, which established American Liberty : "Honor, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits them if we basely entail hereditary bondage on them." Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. Saving America from planet-threatening fossil fuels By Paul Driessen web posted March 28, 2022 Presidential candidate Joe Biden repeatedly promised to end fossil fuels in America. Therell be no more drilling, including offshore, he said. No ability for the oil industry to drill. No more pipelines. Shortly after reaching the White House, President Biden ended Keystone XL pipeline construction and began working with congressional Democrats, regulators and eco-activists to impose leasing and drilling moratoriums, slow-walk permits, pressure financial institutions to deny funding to fossil fuel companies, and implement social cost of carbon rules, environmental justice programs, windfall profit taxes and other policies to close down or bankrupt fossil fuel projects and companies. His Securities and Exchange Commission says companies must disclose risks from alleged manmade climate change from their own production, refining and manufacturing operations; from suppliers and customers using their products ; and from government anti-carbon policies. Supplies predictably dwindled, and prices skyrocketed. Not just for gasoline and other fossil fuels that still provide 80% of all U.S. energy, but for fertilizers, farm chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paints, plastics, cosmetics and countless other petroleum-based products and for goods and services that require offices, factories, stores and transport that need reliable, affordable energy. In other words, for nearly everything. Keystone alone would have brought the United States 700,000 barrels of friendly Canadian oil. Thats equal to the petroleum Russia was sending America before Mr. Biden finally banned the imports, after Vladimir Putins butchery in Ukraine reached levels that even far-Left Democrats couldnt stomach. President Biden tried to blame Putin for food, fuel and other prices that had been soaring well before the Ukraine invasion. Hes now pleading with American oil companies to increase production but only temporarily (to send liquefied gas to Europe and to protect Democrat office holders in November), without easing his anti-oil edicts. He begged Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela to increase their oil production. He used Russia to broker a new nuclear deal with Supreme Leader Ali Khameni, so that Iran can sell more oil on the global market. He apparently believes those sources dont emit dangerous carbon dioxide . Above all, Team Biden doubled down on calls for America to switch from gasoline cars to electric vehicles, and from coal and natural gas electricity generation to wind, solar and backup battery power . They claim this massive, costly restructuring of America can replace dirty, planet-threatening fossil fuels with clean, renewable, sustainable wind, solar and battery energy. Its a duplicitous con. Wind turbines and solar panels on this scale would defile millions of acres of crop, scenic and habitat land. They would kill millions of birds, bats and other wildlife. They require massive amounts of raw materials (and thus mining) to create expensive, inefficient, weather-dependent energy devices. They and 1000-pound battery modules are the least clean, renewable, sustainable energy sources imaginable. Clean technologies merely replace CO2 and methane emissions in the USA with massive amounts of real, toxic pollution in other countries, out of sight and mind, where climate activists can ignore them. A Green New Deal would make America almost totally reliant on China, Russia and other despotic and unstable nations for the metals and minerals needed for GND technologies. And for the equipment itself, because a fossil-fuel-free America wouldnt have the reliable energy needed to manufacture wind turbines, solar panels, battery modules, transformers and thousands of miles of new transmission lines. Americas entire GND energy and economic future could depend on their tyrannical good graces. China, Russia and their surrogates could wield green tech as a strategic weapon, banning exports of materials or technologies to advance their political goals. They could even embed trip-switches or backdoors for hackers in equipment they sell to us, enabling them to close down part or all of our electrical grid and economy. A shutdown could kill millions. The quantities of metals, minerals and other raw materials required for this green energy transition are almost incomprehensible. We would have to mine Planet Earth on unprecedented scales. The first stage of President Bidens offshore wind energy program alone would require 110,000 tons of non-renewable copper plus millions of tons of cobalt, lithium, nickel, aluminum, iron, manganese, rare earth elements, platinum, plastics, concrete, and that suddenly very visible and valuable metal: nickel . His plan calls for 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. Thats 2,140 monstrous 850-foot-tall 14-MW turbines. It sounds like a lot of electricity, but it wouldnt even meet New York States peak summertime electricity needs. And theyd generate zero electricity half the year. Based on average global copper ore bodies , just those 110,000 tons of copper would require removing 40,000,000 tons of overburden and processing 25,000,000 tons of ore. Thats enough crushed rock to cover a 24-foot-wide highway from Washington, DC to Tampa, Florida ten feet deep! Just for the copper. (Or you could bury the White House, Capitol Hill, all the most climate-focused federal agencies, and all Greenpeace, Sierra Club and other eco-pressure groups DC offices under 100 feet of rock and dust.) Climate- obsessed legislators, regulators, activists and judges detest and contest mining anywhere in the United States, even to support the Green New Deal they claim is essential to save America, our planet and humanity from climate cataclysms. Theyve already made millions of acres off limits to exploration and mining, affecting numerous world-class prospects. In just the past couple years, they prevented three critically needed mines from opening: Alaskas Pebble Mine (billions of pounds of copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, rhenium and other metals); Minnesotas NorthMet mine (billions of pounds of copper, cobalt, platinum and nickel); and enormous lithium deposits in Nevada. That means GND mining and processing would take place in Asia, Africa and Latin America, mostly by or under the auspices of Chinese firms under environmental, pollution control, workplace safety, and child and slave labor rules, standards and practices that were repudiated in America 50-100 years ago. Will the White House, congressional Democrats, EPA, Labor Department and SEC demand that companies disclose all those fossil fuel uses, risks, environmental impacts and human rights abuses? They loudly promote electric vehicles and a total transformation of the U.S. energy system and economy. But they say nothing about acquiring the raw materials and equipment essential for turning these dreams into reality. They are silent about the land destruction, air and water pollution, wildlife losses, human diseases and deaths , and eco-imperialism that their policies impose, especially on people of color. They are mute about the ways their climate protection racket would allow China, Russia and other thuggish regimes to pursue their territorial ambitions and give them unprecedented control over the Western Worlds energy, jobs, economies, living standards , foreign policies and national security. They make no attempt to calculate how many wind turbines, solar panels, vehicle and backup battery modules, transformers and transmission lines would be needed in a fossil-fuel-free, all-electricity nation. How many acres of wildlife habitat would be disrupted or destroyed. How many new mines would have to be opened. How many birds, bats and other animals would be killed. How many trillions of tons of ores and overburden would have to be blasted away and processed. Or how many huge landfills well need for all the worn-out turbines, blades, panels and batteries. They certainly dont discuss how much our living standards, personal choices and basic freedoms would be reduced in their clean energy America. They dont ask because they dont want to know and dont want us to even think about these issues. Putins Ukraine war has opened eyes about NATO, disarmament and Europes feckless reliance on Russian natural gas. We need equal realism about Americas climate and energy policies and how far Americas ruling elites would take us down the path to ruin , to achieve their Green Utopia. Paul Driessen is senior policy advisor for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow ( www.CFACT.org ) and author of articles and books on energy, climate change, human rights and environmental issues. Home Treason and patriotism in Canada and the current-day world updated to 2022 (Part Five) By Mark Wegierski web posted March 28, 2022 In terms of any potentially emerging civil conflict in the Canadian context (i.e., Canada vs. Quebec), the stance of the Canadian armed forces, as is the case in any such situation in any country, would be very important. Until the election of the Conservative government in 2006, Canada's stance towards its military was one where it most manifestly diverged from traditional notions of patriotism. The funding of the military had been punitively cut over the last four decades, to the point where defence spending had reached little more than 5% of the annual federal government budget. The point had virtually been reached where the Canadian armed forces were "a joke", yet they were still being continually assailed and devalourized in the mass media, academic, and government circles. At that unfortunate time, considering that probably over half of the combat-worthy land forces were French-Canadian, very many of them might have been tempted to cross over to the Quebec cause, where they might have thought they had better chances of receiving widespread social respect, decent pay, and up-to-date equipment. Furthermore, most of the rest of the military were English-speaking Canadians of British descent. Liberal Canada had been waging a long war against British traditions in Canada, proclaiming itself a multicultural society, and aggressively devalourizing straight white males. Would they have wanted to lift a finger to defend this new Canada which had continually repudiated and assailed them? So, Harpers revitalizing and re-valourizing of the Canadian military should be seen as one of the most important achievements of his government. As the major global superpower, the U.S. perforce treats its military much better. Yet there, one could see some obvious problems in the 1990s. To many U.S. soldiers and officers, Clinton had very little moral authority as Commander-in-Chief, because of his obvious draft-dodging record. This was not helped by his evident penchant to send U.S. troops on U.N. missions that many Americans perceived as having little to do with real U.S. interests. There was an interesting case where a U.S. soldier refused orders to deploy to the Balkans, claiming that U.S. troops were being put under foreign command and deployed overseas without Congressional approval -- a manifest violation of the Constitution. He was quickly thrown out of the military. And today, the U.S. military has become increasingly woke especially in its higher ranks. George W. Bush gained considerable support when he talked during his campaign of a more humble foreign policy. Unfortunately -- in the aftermath of 9/11 -- his Administration was directed onto a course of war against Iraq. This was clearly a misdeployment of American strength, that some critics have called a Sicilian Expedition. Also, the intervention in Afghanistan however necessary in the aftermath of 9/11 -- was built up into a multi-year nation building undertaking, rather than a quick punitive strike. The war in Afghanistan has ended in abject disaster in 2021, with the Taliban once again taking over the country, in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal. In his 2003 hatchet-piece in the new National Review, David Frum pointedly accused a disparate group of conservative and libertarian figures critical of unlimited foreign interventions by the U.S., as unpatriotic. It could be argued that Canada is a society which, before the 1960s, was largely more conservative and tradition-minded than the United States, but which, in the aftermath of the 1960s, has become far more liberal and progressive-minded (except for some residues of civility and politeness which should properly be credited to Canadian social conservatism). It is important to ask how Canadian nationhood was traditionally defined. This is a question which many persons in Canada today are unwilling or unable to ask. Indeed, Canadian identity is today seen as a kind of conundrum or puzzle. Up until the 1960s, Canada was conceived in far different ways than it is today. At the most basic level, Canada was conceived of as a British country. This was a combination of both the British political traditions (Monarchy, Parliament, the British Common Law), and the fact that, for the last two hundred or so years, persons from the British Isles had formed the majority of the population. The obvious exception to Canada's Britishness was the province of Quebec, with its large, French-speaking, Roman Catholic population. As Lord Durham had presciently warned in 1840 (although his proposed, fanatically anti-French solution of complete assimilation turned out to be unworkable) this has led to a situation of "two nations warring in the bosom of a single state." As a kind of response to the prevalent, dynamic, English-speaking culture, French Quebec had largely turned inward, centered on its Roman Catholicism and a largely rural existence. However, in the twentieth century, nascent Quebecois nationalism expressed itself mainly in support of the Liberal Party, rather than what were characterized as the "Tory Orangemen" of the Conservative Party. Once thought as solid as the rock of Gibraltar, the British imperial concept has melted away like snow during a spring heatwave. It has turned out that this notional system was more-or-less coterminous with the reign of Queen Victoria, and quickly dissipated thereafter. For Canada, the decline of the British Empire, the British Imperial idea, and increasingly now, even of the stature and place of the British Monarchy in England itself, has exacerbated the onset of a permanent identity crisis for English Canada. Furthermore, the support the federal Liberal Party commonly received from Quebec after the federal election of 1896 (since the end of the nineteenth century) has ultimately allowed the Liberal Party to undertake a thoroughgoing reconstruction of Canada, in opposition to "the British connection." Beginning in 1965 with the repudiation of the Red Ensign (Canada's traditional flag, on which the Union Jack figured prominently), the Liberal Party was able to take Canada through a series of radical restructurings, culminating in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982. The submission of all Parliamentary legislation to judicial review based on an absolutized written rights document is largely alien to British constitutional principles. The result is the undermining of the cornerstone of the British (and Canadian) system the Sovereignty of Parliament. Indeed, the influence of the Charter driven by an activist judiciary and legal apparatus which political scientist Ted Morton has called the Court Party -- has unleashed a massive tide of multifarious social and cultural change in Canada that has yet to abate. The question for an English-speaking Canadian traditionalist invariably becomes -- to which Canada is he or she expected to hold allegiance? Interestingly enough, the current Canadian Citizenship Oath refers only to allegiance to the Monarchy. Unfortunately, this is increasingly seen as a dark relic of the past, and will probably soon be replaced with an oath which will most likely call for allegiance to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and to "Canada's diversity." An English-speaking Canadian traditionalist, although a person who sees him or herself as the most ardent Canadian patriot, would have difficulty holding such an allegiance in good conscience. And, indeed, Canadian left-liberals would label persons ambivalent about the very latest aspects and interpretations of the Charter -- those who refused to accept this newly-imposed Canadian identity -- as "un-Canadian." To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. 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. Ukraine's intelligence head said Vladimir Putin may try to split the nation if a bungled invasion fails to remove the government as Russia intends to divide Ukraine into a European analogue of North and South Korea. Vladimir Putin's inability to conquer Kyiv and destroy the government might indicate that he is attempting to split the nation, according to Kyrylo Budanov. His remarks came after a separatist territory in eastern Ukraine announced its intention to organize a vote on joining Russia. Vladimir Putin Wants "Korean scenario" in Ukraine Following the end of WWII, the Korean Peninsula was partitioned, resulting in the 1950-53 Korean War, which pitted China-backed Communist troops against the US and UK-backed South Korean forces. The Russian president justified the invasion of Ukraine by accusing Kyiv of plotting crimes against the Luhansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic, which seceded from Ukraine during the 2014 conflict, as per The Telegraph. The Kremlin acknowledged its independence just before the conflict broke out this year, but the Luhansk People's Republic has now announced that it will organize a vote to join Russia. The Russian government took Crimea in 2014, but it has yet to reply to the possibility of enabling the Luhansk People's Republic to join Russia. But both separatist entities have the right to join Russia, according to a Russian lawmaker. In response to the referendum in Luhansk, Ukraine's foreign ministry stated that fabricated votes were illegal under international law. Russia's conflict in Ukraine has taken a serious turn for the worse. Rather than an easy and magnificent victory of the entire nation and the installation of a pro-Moscow administration, Western intelligence professionals believe Putin may have to settle for control of only a portion of the country. Last month, Vladimir Putin declared the eastern districts of Luhansk and Donetsk "independent," where pro-Russian rebels began battling Ukrainian soldiers in 2014. Putin exploited the ostensible defense of two eastern Ukrainian districts as a pretext to launch his brutal invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine, which claims to be battling for its survival against what it sees as Russia's imperialistic land grab, has stated repeatedly that it would never consent to Russia's annexation of its territory, which is the most difficult component of peace talks with Moscow. Ukraine stated that a referendum on occupied Ukrainian territory would have no legal basis and would provoke a strong response from the international community, furthering Russia's isolation. Meanwhile, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Soldiers stated on Sunday that Ukrainian forces in Luhansk repelled seven Russian strikes and destroyed multiple tanks and armored vehicles, Daily Mail reported. Read Also: US Sends Strong Message to China, Russia Amid North Korea Missile Test: Stop DPRK From "Additional Provocations" Zelensky Accuses West of Cowardice As his nation tries to stave off Russia's invading soldiers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of cowardice, issuing a frustrated plea for fighter aircraft and tanks to continue a defense as the war devolved into a battle of attrition. Zelenskyy lashed out Sunday at the West's "ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets" and other weapons while Russian missile attacks kill and trap civilians, speaking after US President Joe Biden said in a stinging speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not stay in power - words the White House quickly sought to downplay. Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, said Ukraine had heard Biden "loud and clear." Russia's invasion of Ukraine, now on its 32nd day, has paused in many areas. Its plan to swiftly encircle Kyiv and compel its capitulation has failed due to tenacious Ukrainian resistance, which has been strengthened by armaments supplied by the US and other Western allies. On Sunday, Zelenskyy signed a bill prohibiting reporting on unannounced or unapproved military troop and equipment movements. Journalists who break the law face jail sentences ranging from three to eight years. The regulation makes no distinction between Ukrainian and international journalists, as per Fox News. Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Vladimir Putin, Moscow Scale Back War Goals as Military Forces Stall Near Kyiv @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A new study has suggested that a second COVID-19 booster shot could decrease death rates among infected individuals by roughly 78% compared to those who only had one additional shot as the US plans to vaccinate Americans aged 50 and up. The research, conducted by Israel's Clalit Health Services, which is the largest healthcare provider in the nation, included more than half a million people aged 60 to 100 and lasted 40 days. Roughly 58% of the participants had already gotten their second booster, while the rest only had one. All of the participants received booster shots from Pfizer, a pharmaceutical company. Second Booster Shot The researchers recorded 92 deaths in the first group and 232 deaths in the second, smaller group. Ronen Arbel, the Health Outcomes Researcher at Clalit and Sapir College, said that the main conclusion from the study was that the second booster shot is a life-saving treatment. The Israel report was issued as a preprint and has not yet been peer-reviewed, but it is also known to have excluded people who got the Moderna vaccine or those who had taken an oral anti-COVID therapy, as per Global News. United States President Joe Biden's administration plans to make the most of the situation and plans to offer residents over the age of 50 the option to get a second COVID-19 booster. While this will not mandate them to get the shot, it would provide them with the choice to receive the potentially life-saving treatment. Read Also: COVID-19 in the US: Experts Warn Potential Start of New Coronavirus Wave in New York, Other States The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could authorize the second booster shots for the age group as soon as Tuesday. The FDA vaccine advisory committee was expected to consider the additional booster shot proposal on Apr. 6. According to 6ABC, a recent study showed data that suggests that a fourth vaccine shot could prevent severe illnesses in recipients. Experts said that the additional booster shot is currently available for people who are immunocompromised. New Coronavirus Wave The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will issue guidance on how best to implement the new process in pharmacies and doctors' offices around the nation. Their guidance will come after the FDA's expected authorization this week. Despite the Biden administration's plan to recommend the second booster shot, many uncertainties have complicated the situation. This includes how long the protection from a second booster would last, how to tell the public about the process, and whether or not the overall goal is to protect American citizens from severe disease. Authorities will primarily base their decision on when the next outbreak of coronavirus infections will arrive in the country. Many experts see the second booster shot as a potential shield that could ward off severe consequences should a virulent surge hit the United States in the next few months. But if a new wave of coronavirus infections does not occur, additional shots could turn out to be a questionable intervention. Many argue that it would only result in wasted doses, deepens vaccination fatigue, and lead to doubt of the government's strategy, the New York Times reported. Related Article: Airlines Urge Biden To Lift Mask Mandates, Testing Requirements as COVID-19 Hospitalization, Death Rates Decline @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. To help President Joe Biden win the 2020 election, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California accused Democrats and the mainstream media of engaging in a "conspiracy" over Hunter Biden's laptop. The New York Times claimed to have confirmed a hard drive reportedly belonging to the president's sole living son, more than a year after the New York Post was heavily condemned for reporting on the contents of the same computer. GOP senators have demanded answers. Republicans Vow To Subpoena Hunter Biden At a time when many on the left were discounting the material as Russian misinformation, DailyMail.com had verified it. Issa's surprising charge came just one day after New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking Republican in the House, promised that if Republicans retake control of Congress in November, they'll subpoena Hunter Biden. Issa submitted preservation notifications to White House aides, multiple internet firms, and ex-intelligence officials earlier this week in an attempt to protect documents and information related to the Post's initial Hunter Biden report from October 2020 from being destroyed. Ex-Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani gave the hard drive to the outlet after obtaining it from a Delaware computer repair shop where Hunter Biden allegedly left it off. The laptop's hard drive also held a series of emails detailing Hunter Biden's efforts to exploit his father's contacts as then-vice president to promote his overseas business transactions, in addition to filthy photographs portraying sex acts and drug use. The identity of a so-called "big guy" who was supposed to get 10% of revenues from a Chinese commercial arrangement is of special concern to Republicans. The pseudonym was discovered in an email from Hunter Biden's business colleague James Gilliar on his hard drive. Hunter also helped raise millions of dollars in finance for Metabiota, a US-based company, according to emails from his abandoned laptop. According to the Daily Mail's website, a Department of Defense contractor specializing in research into pandemic-causing viruses might be deployed as bioweapons. According to emails and defense contract data acquired by Dailymail.com, Hunter played a key role in ensuring Metabiota was permitted to perform pathogen research within a few hundred miles from the Russian border. As reported by a media outlet, the commander of the Russian Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Forces claimed that there was a scheme of interaction between US government agencies and Ukrainian biological objects and that the financing of such activities by structures close to the current US leadership, in particular the investment fund Rosemont Seneca, which is headed by Hunter Biden. Accusations of misinformation and propaganda have been refuted by the US, CGTN reported. Read Also: Biden Promises Energy Shipments for Europe To Reduce Dependence on Russian Gas, Oil Supply Americans Believe Joe Biden Would Not Be Elected if Hunter's Scandal Publicized Despite a near-complete media blackout on the unfolding Hunter Biden controversy, most people appear to be aware of it and believe that President Joe Biden may have gained from his son's schemes involving Ukraine, Russia, and China. Furthermore, people feel that if the incident had been more widely known, particularly rumors regarding Hunter Biden's laptop containing potentially damning information, his father would not have been elected, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll that should make the White House uneasy. The poll, which was shared with Secrets, supports Republican requests for a probe into the Biden family's financial dealings. If Republicans win control of Congress in the next elections, top Republican congressional leaders have promised to convene hearings on the issue. Miranda Devine, who has been covering the Biden crisis and the news regarding Hunter Biden's laptop for the New York Post, was the first to get the survey. She reported late Wednesday night that a Delaware grand jury is "getting closer to potentially indicting Hunter, 52, on allegations of sexual assault." The media suppressed the story, potentially saving Biden from a last-minute election controversy and a loss to then-President Donald Trump. The presence of the computer has only lately been accepted by the media. Over 60% of respondents believed the laptop narrative is essential in the poll. A comparable majority believes the president "was counseled on and maybe benefitted from" his son's Chinese business ties, as per Washington Examiner. Related Article: Hunter Biden Raises More Questions After Laptop Emails Reveal He Secured Millions in Research Program Funding in Ukraine @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chris Wallace, a former journalist for Fox News, said that his move to CNN was made after he "no longer felt comfortable with the programming" at his former media agency. The journalist spent nearly two decades of his career at Fox News before shifting in January, a move that many said was a long time coming. Wallace is known to be a down-the-middle outlier at his former network and frequently contradicted ring-wing stars. He is also one of the channel's fiercest defenders, which resulted in disappointment among liberals. Fox News' Environment However, the 74-year-old issued a final verdict in December, declining to renew his contract as host of "Fox News Sunday" and transferred to CNN, his former network's rival. Wallace will be starring on CNN's "Who's Talking to Chris Wallace" that will start on Tuesday. In his first extensive interview since leaving Fox News, Wallace said that he was fine with any type of opinion, whether it was conservative or liberal. However, he said that when people began questioning the truth and facts, such as the winner of the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot, he said it was already unsustainable, as per Deadline. Wallace's departure from Fox dealt a heavy blow to the agency as its opinion section was becoming more prominent among viewers. The journalist said that before, his work environment was a place where he could feel good working for the network. Read Also: GOP McCarthy Says That Donald Trump, His Role in the Party Depends on the 2022 Midterm Election Result He was also asked why he did not leave Fox News earlier if he started to feel that it was unsustainable. Wallace said that he spent the majority of his 2021 looking for a new place where he could do his job properly. According to The Guardian, the 74-year-old journalist also acknowledged that other people may have drawn the line and left the network earlier compared to him. He said that Fox News may have started changing and shifting course in the last year and a half. A Shift in Course Wallace was also eager to explain what CNN had that attracted him to the news network, saying it had a more freewheeling format of streaming TV. The journalist added that he was alarmed by his colleague, Tucker Carlson, and his documentary "Patriot Surge." The show falsely suggested that the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill insurrection was a "false flag operation that aimed to demonize conservatives. The former Fox host's new show at CNN was inspired by the work of famed interviewers such as Larry King and Charlie Rose. The set of the show only involves the host, Wallace, and his guest sitting on either side of a Plexiglass table. It may be familiar to some because it is a more brightly lit version of Rose's long-running PBS format. CNN's marketing materials for Wallace include prominent younger hosts such as former NPR host Audie Cornish, the chef Alison Roman, and the actress Eva Longoria. Furthermore, the journalist's new show might complement more millennial-focused fare due to involving personalities of advanced ages of some of the guests, including Star Trek star William Shatner, the New York Times reported. Related Article: Hunter Biden Raises More Questions After Laptop Emails Reveal He Secured Millions in Research Program Funding in Ukraine @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. US practices new war concepts with 100+ drills near China: think tank report By Liu Xuanzun (Global Times) 09:10, March 28, 2022 A ship-borne helicopter attached to a frigate flotilla with the navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command lands on the flight deck of the guided-missile frigate Wuzhou (Hull 626) under the guidance of a sailor during a maritime fire-fighting training operation in early December, 2021. Photo:China Military The US held more than 100 large-scale military exercises near China last year, practicing and validating several new war concepts targeting the country, a Beijing-based think tank revealed on Sunday, shortly before the US and the Philippines are reportedly about to launch the "largest-ever" joint drills on Monday. A major reason behind the extensive drills with new tactics is that the US is aiming to contain China but is faced with the rapid development of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), and the US military is worried that its traditional instruments of war are becoming obsolete facing the PLA, analysts said. Based on publicly available information, the US military conducted 95 exercises in and near the South China Sea in 2021, with the actual number exceeding 100, the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) said in a report released on Sunday. Among the 95 drills, 14 consisted solely of arms of the US military, including the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Army and Coast Guard. They featured training courses including anti-ship, anti-submarine, anti-sea mine, amphibious, cyberspace and maritime situational awareness missions. The other 81 were joint exercises with other countries including those along the coastlines of the South China Sea as well as those from outside the region including Japan, the UK, Australia, India, France and Canada, the SCSPI report said, noting that both the frequency and scale of the drills reached new highs. In 2021, the US military successively sent strategic platforms including four carrier strike groups, two amphibious ready groups, 11 nuclear-powered attack submarines and carried out 22 bombers sorties. This was in addition to conducting at least 1,200 aerial close-in reconnaissance sorties with large spy aircraft and 419 ship days of maritime survey and surveillance with spy ships to the South China Sea, with an obvious intent to deter China, the SCSPI said. The US also tried to validate some of its new war concepts like multi-domain operations, expeditionary advanced base operations, distributed maritime operations and littoral operations in a contested environment, as the US now acknowledges that China has the edge in the air and sea within the first island chain, the SCSPI said, citing US documents on the Indo-Pacific Strategy. The reason why the US military is developing new war concepts is that it knows all established US military bases, including those in Japan and South Korea as well as aircraft carriers, are no longer secure, so it needs more bases and it also needs to make them more mobile in a more distributed manner, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday. The US military is worried and panicked to see the growing combat capabilities of the PLA as the gap between them narrows quickly, so the US is looking not only at developing a new generation of weapons and equipment, but also creating new tactics and ways to engage in combat, Song said. New technologies, including standoff hypersonic weapons, antiballistic missile technologies, precision strike and missile defense systems, new maritime combat systems, directed energy weapons, next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarines and destroyers are all under development by the US, the SCSPI said. While the US is attempting to deter its imagined possibility of a "China expansion" by a frontier military presence, excessive deterrence would only result in more resolute countermeasures from China, and that will be the opposite of what the US wants, the SCSPI said. Deterrence and countermeasures as well as provocation and counter-provocation will be major strategic and tactical questions China and the US will have to deal with in the future, the report said. The report was released only one day before the annual US-Philippines Balikatan Exercise was scheduled to kick off. Media report said this year's Balikatan Exercise would be the "largest-ever," with about 5,100 US military personnel and 3,800 personnel from the Philippines participating from Monday to April 8 across Luzon. In 2021, the US military strategy and operation on the South China Sea is featured by deterrence----strengthening forward military presence and targeted activities, to deter the imaginary China might overreach. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) After pushing for regime change in Russia, Joe Biden is facing international pushback from his allies. Following Joe Biden's remarks in which he referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "butcher" and stated that he "cannot remain in power," Emmanuel Macron led a chorus of opposition. Biden's secretary of state contradicted the president in an attempt to mitigate the diplomatic damage while Downing Street stressed it was up to the Russian people to select their leader. Diplomat: Biden Made the Situation More Dangerous The president's passionate address in Poland on Saturday strained relations with Western allies while bolstering the Kremlin's assertion that Russia faces an "existential" danger. Donald Trump said that his successor in the White House was almost encouraging Putin to deploy nuclear weapons. Biden had made a perilous situation much more dangerous, according to a senior US ambassador, and threatened to extend the scope and length of the fight. The 79-year-old president stated a month before the conflict that Russia would face little consequences if it limited itself to a "small invasion." Last week, Biden said that if Russia used chemical weapons, NATO would reply "in kind." He also referred to Putin as a "war criminal" after altering his opinion during a conversation with a reporter. He told US troops in Poland over the weekend that they would see the valor of Ukrainian forces "when you're there," prompting the White House to hastily clarify that no American troops would be moved across the border, according to Telegraph. Read Also: Maduro Enters Military Pact With Russia, Disregards Biden's Desperate Attempt To Isolate Moscow Joe Biden's Remark Unlikely To Placate Russia The White House's attempt to retract Biden's remarks is unlikely to appease Russia, according to Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. As per Garret Martin, a transatlantic relations professor at American University, Putin already felt the US was out to get him, so Biden's remarks are unlikely to sway his mind. Moscow may use them to persuade Russians that America's true purpose is to undermine the Russian government, not to support Ukraine. Other components of Biden's speech and trip, according to Martin and others, will have a longer-term impact, notably the unity that Biden helped develop among allies. In the post-Cold War era, the US and its allies have never been more united in their response to a worldwide security crisis, according to Timothy Naftali, a presidential historian at New York University. He also thinks Biden deserves some credit for it, as per USA Today. Biden warned that if Putin invaded "even a single inch of Nato territory" the West would act. He also added that the globe must prepare for a "long fight ahead" and that the conflict "will not be won in days or months" during his speech. The US president also addressed the Russian people directly, saying that they are "not the enemy." It comes fewer than 24 hours after Russian missiles hit Ukraine's largest western city, injuring at least five people, and less than 24 hours after Putin promised to concentrate his forces on the east. After two massive explosions, residents were advised to seek cover. During the raid, a gasoline storage facility was set on fire. As air raid sirens were sounded in the city, which is barely 45 miles from Nato member Poland's border, thick black smoke rose from a TV tower, The Sun reported. Related Article: New Book Reveals Rift Between Joe Biden, Kamala Harris; Will This Help Donald Trump Get Back to the White House? @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Russian President Vladimir Putin possesses a stealth weapon that is just as devastating as hypersonic missiles, even though they are still relatively conventional. The Kremlin told the West it could nudge the conflict into a deadly turn in Ukraine. Various weapon systems have been deployed by Russia that shocked the NATO alliance and sent images that would give the US and NATO a reminder. Russia Develops Stealthy, Lethal Weapon From the start of the special operation, Putin told the Western alliance to stay out of Ukraine or be a target. He warned in serious tones that the consequences would be the worst the West faced. This meant to western analysts that it was a nuclear threat that was communicated and has made Biden and the EU more cautious about involving themselves more directly, reported Express UK. It only served as a reminder if everything turned for the worst but more in the Russian arsenal of more offensive weapons developed for specific operations in other theatres of war. This specific weapon system is a diesel attack submarine used by Russia's Navy that is exceptionally well hidden from enemies. Engineers developed the Kronstadt submarine to be silent and skirt the sonar detection systems of NATO; to inch close to its targets and let loose a lethal barrage when it's right, cited Country Highlights. Another Addition to Russia's Offensive Capability These Lada-subs were in service in 2018 used for attacking enemy subs and surface combatants. Other missions would be defending naval bases, sea coast, and sea communications. Putin has one armament that is considered a stealth weapon that is hidden until it strikes. Read Also: Joe Biden Net Worth 2022: How Wealthy Is the 46th President of the United States? Its most offensive mission is to launch attacks with missiles on targets located on the coasts, for example, how the coastal attack was made in Ukraine. According to naval sources, one of its functions is to fire missiles in a pre-programmed volley that has no counter yet in NATO. When Admiralty Shipyards CEO Alexander Buzakov inaugurated the Lada, he added it was a significant addition to Russia's offensive capability. The making of the sub started in 2005 with delays but was resumed till completed. He added that the Lada has succeeded in iterations. Compared to other subs in service, it only needs 38 crew to operate it, with sonar called Litiy is advanced and automated for efficiency. Inside the diesel sub are six tubes for firing torpedoes and with vertical missile silos that can fire ship killer missiles and cruise missiles for attack targets on the coast that are in range. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the Russian Navy has only 49 to the 68 possessed by the US. The US has less than 14 submarines capable of firing ICBMS, while Moscow has only 11 in its arsenal. Unlike Joe Biden, his predecessor said that the US needs to use its nuke subs in Europe. Donald Trump told Vladimir Putin that the US is still a significant nuclear power like Moscow. These comments were spoken in an interview on Fox Business with host Stuart Varney last Monday. The 45th president said that Putin would not like the thought of nuclear subs with ICBMs on the Russian coast as a warning, noted News Rant. He called the nuclear warning a bluff that worked on Joe Biden and NATO. Vladimir Putin made it clear the Lada subs are the stealth weapon that can have devastating consequences on targets it chooses. Related Article: Russia Admits Deploying Bastion-P Anti-Ship Missiles in Ukraine To Crush Opposition Against Its Forces @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. As part of its "zero-COVID" strategy, China has implemented the largest citywide lockdown since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic after a recent outbreak. Shanghai's Pudong financial district and all of the areas found east of the Huangpu River will go into lockdown on Monday. The restriction will last for five days as Chinese authorities order the mass testing of residents in the area to sniff out any infections that may have already spread. Shanghai's Lockdown Officials are also expected to put the area west of the Huangpu River into its own five-day lockdown starting on Friday. The restriction means that public transportation will be suspended, non-essential businesses will be temporarily closed, and residents will be mandated to isolate themselves in their homes for the duration of the lockdown. The country's third-largest city, Shanghai, reported 2,631 new asymptomatic infections and 47 symptomatic cases on Saturday. The new order marks the first large-scale lockdown for the city that is home to roughly 26 million people and serves as the country's financial center, as per Fox News. Authorities are requiring all residents of Shanghai to participate in the lockdown and be part of the COVID-19 screening if they want to maintain a "green" health code status. The status would allow them to access essential establishments, such as grocery stores and even public areas. China's failure to control the spread of the latest coronavirus outbreak has resulted in criticism from many residents online. It has also caused questioning of Beijing's zero-COVID policy and its effectiveness in keeping the virus at bay. Read Also: 2nd COVID-19 Booster Decreases Death Rate; Americans Over 50 Could Soon Get It According to CNN, in Shanghai, a place where some of the best infrastructures in China is found, the spread of online users complaining about the lockdown means that authorities are failing to provide what they need while in lockdown. One media user said that they were unable to buy groceries or get medicine for their children. Coronavirus Situation in China Shanghai has never before imposed a full-scale citywide lockdown similar to what other cities have done. China's major cities, including Xi'an and Shenzhen, have been sealed off since the country's first coronavirus outbreak in 2019 in Wuhan. On the other hand, Shanghai implemented a process known as "grid screening," a method that city health officials have hailed to be a more accurate and efficient way of carrying out mass testing. The method is in line with Beijing's new approach to keeping the coronavirus in check while minimizing consequences financially. An official of Shanghai's Health Commission, Wu Fan, said in a news conference on Saturday that the city is unable to enter a full-scale lockdown similar to what other areas implemented. They said that this was because Shanghai is not only for its people but because it also plays a crucial part in the national economic and social development sector. In the last five days, Shanghai officials have already conducted more than 30 million P.C.R. tests in key areas of the city. Health officials also said previously that the region had the capacity to perform more than 1.9 million tests every day, the New York Times reported. Related Article: COVID-19 in the US: Experts Warn Potential Start of New Coronavirus Wave in New York, Other States @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Federal officials are looking into whether New York lieutenant governor Brian Benjamin was involved in a shady campaign funding operation reportedly carried out by one of his longstanding allies and supporters. Lt. Gov. Benjamin's discretionary financing to his Harlem district as a state senator is also being investigated by federal authorities. Authorities Seek if NY Lt. Gov. Benjamin Was Involved With Corrupion Activities Federal prosecutors and FBI public-corruption officers want to know if Benjamin was involved in the false contributions that accused Harlem real-estate mogul Gerald Migdol who reportedly attempted to send to the then-state segregation fund. Federal prosecutors have sent subpoenas to the New York State Senate and Benjamin's campaign advisers as part of the probe. On Friday, investigators from the Southern District of New York had recently subpoenaed state officials and State Senate workers in connection with grants that Benjamin had arranged in his previous Harlem district. The probe is tied to cash doled out under the State and Municipal Facilities Program (SAM) a lump sum provision in the state budget managed by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, according to the source. On Sunday, The New York Times reported that with regards to the campaign-finance issue, after Migdol was indicted late last year, SDNY prosecutors subsequently issued several grand-jury subpoenas seeking records from Benjamin's campaign committee, some of its paid staffers, and firms consulting for the campaign, according to three people with direct knowledge of those actions. It's unknown if Migdol is collaborating with federal officials, or if Benjamin will face charges. "Neither [Benjamin] nor his campaign are being accused of any crime, and they are willing to fully cooperate with authorities," a representative for Benjamin said in a statement, according to Intelligencer. Read Also: GOP McCarthy Says That Donald Trump, His Role in the Party Depends on the 2022 Midterm Election Result NY Prosecutors File Subpoenas Against Brian Benjamin's Campaign Committee Three persons familiar with the situation said prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have filed grand jury subpoenas for papers from Benjamin's campaign committee, paid workers, and consulting businesses. Prosecutors have lately started looking for records from the state Senate, where Benjamin had served and represented Harlem before being appointed lieutenant governor by Gov. Kathy Hochul when she took office. Benjamin has not been charged with any wrongdoing, but Gerald Migdol, a Harlem real estate investor who was charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and other crimes last year, was accused of devising a scheme to misrepresent or conceal multiple illegal contributions to Benjamin's campaign. It's unclear whether Migdol has consented to assist with prosecutors; however, there have been hints that he may be doing so because the same prosecutors are prosecuting Midgol and Benjamin's cases, and subpoenas were issued shortly after his detention. When asked about the subpoenas, a representative for Benjamin's campaign for lieutenant governor referred to a statement made at the time of Migdol's arrest, as per The Hill. Legislators and advocates have criticized New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's proposed modifications to the state's bail system. Hochul's 10-point proposal includes measures such as enabling police to arrest people for minor repeat offenses, increasing the list of offenses eligible for bail, and giving judges greater authority in deciding whether or not to grant bail. Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin of New York visited PIX11 Morning News in-studio on Sunday to discuss bail reform, budget talks, and other topics, PIX11 reported. Related Article: Kevin McCarthy Predicts Big Republican Win in Midterm Election, Says He'll Be House Speaker in January @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Officials have discovered the second "black box" from a China Eastern Boeing 737-800, generating hopes that it'll reveal why a passenger airliner crashed into a remote mountainous location in southern China last week, killing all 132 people on board. According to official media, firefighters searching for the flight data recorder discovered it on a steep slope some 130 feet from the place of impact and 5 feet beneath. Experts recognized it as the second black box. The collision carved a 65-foot-deep crater in the mountain's side and strewn debris across the landscape. 2nd Black Box From China Plane Crash Will Help Investigators After discovering the cockpit voice recorder four days earlier, searchers started looking for the data recorder. The two black boxes should help authorities in determining what caused the jet to plunge from 29,000 feet (8,800 meters) about an hour into the journey, just as it was ready to begin its descent. The search was halted for a three-minute moment of silence for the 123 passengers and nine crew members on Sunday afternoon. Police and soldiers removed their hats while emergency workers removed their helmets. As sirens blared, they stood in formation and lowered their heads. Flight MU5735 was flying from Kunming, in southwestern China, to Guangzhou, a major metropolis and export manufacturing hub near Hong Kong, when it crashed on Monday. Officials said that after observing the plane's altitude drop dramatically, an air traffic controller tried to contact the pilots numerous times but received no response, KCRA3 reported. The second black box was discovered Sunday at about 9:20 am by a team of firemen from southern China's Guangxi autonomous province, where the plane nosedived into a hillside. Zhu Tao, a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Administration of China, said in a press conference. According to him, the box was around 130 feet distant from the plane's crash site and was buried several feet beneath. On Wednesday, rescuers found the first black box, the cockpit voice recorder, but officials claimed they couldn't identify the second box's GPS signal and thought that its signal transmitter may have been destroyed in the accident, according to Mint. Read Also: US Sends Strong Message to China, Russia Amid North Korea Missile Test: Stop DPRK From "Additional Provocations" Boeing 737's Cause of Crash Remains Mystery The reason for the incident is still unknown, with authorities looking into whether the plane split apart in mid-flight before falling. Officials said an air traffic controller attempted to contact the pilots numerous times after witnessing the plane's altitude drop significantly, but received no response. The names of 114 passengers and six crew members have been established by forensic and criminal investigation professionals, according to authorities. At least one component of the plane had broken off six miles before impact, according to investigations. If the part is proven to be from a Boeing 737-800, Chinese officials believe the jet may have broken in mid-flight before crashing. Officials said it's impossible to tell if the component broke loose as a consequence of strains during the drop or fell off before the tragic plummet into the slope at this early point in the inquiry. According to Bloomberg News' analysis of Flightradar24 data, the plane was flying at speeds substantially above normal when it made the plunge, probably approaching the speed of sound. According to examinations into the 1997 accident of SilkAir 737-300 in Indonesia, jetliners like the Boeing 737 may cause light-weight components of the wings and tail sections to fall off, which explains the part recovered six miles from the disaster scene. Before crashing into a river, the tragic SilkAir flight was likewise traveling near to the speed of sound, and the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee ruled that the captain most likely committed murder-suicide. The data also revealed that the aircraft was mostly undamaged since it continued to communicate its position until it reached 3,225 feet. China Eastern Airlines and its subsidiaries, one of China's four main airlines, have grounded all of its 737-800 aircraft, a total of 223 planes. The carrier stated that the grounding was only a precaution and not an indication that something was amiss, as per Daily Mail. Related Article: [Report] Russia Uses Phosphorus Bombs Sparking Fear of Chemical Warfare; NATO Deploys More Troops to European Allies @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The United States' special envoy to Iran on Sunday said that he was not "confident" that a new nuclear deal between the two nations could be reached in the near future after 11 months of negotiations have been stalled due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During the Doha Forum international conference held in Qatar, Robert Malley said that he was not confident enough to say that an agreement was imminent. He argued that a few months ago, the U.S. and Iran were close to reaching a new deal. US Envoy on Iran Nuclear Deal The official said that in any negotiations if there were any issues remaining after an extended period of discussions, it suggested the difficulty of bridging the gap. However, Malley's assessment of the deal came in contrast to an Iranian official's remarks. During the conference, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Sayyid Kamal Kharrazi, said that an agreement between the two nations was imminent. He argued that the deal was dependent on the political will of the United States federal government, as per the New York Post. On Sunday, Kharrazi said that a national army cannot be listed as a terrorist group and argued that it was important for Iranians to have the IRGC removed from the list. In 2019, former United States President Donald Trump designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. Read Also: Joe Biden Latest Gaffe on Vladimir Putin Scrambles US Message on Ukraine, Sparks Intense Backlash The incident came one year after the Republican businessman pulled the United States out of the original nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. On the other hand, President Joe Biden's administration has been struggling to restore the agreement in the last year but the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 threw off the timeline. According to Fox News, Moscow has demanded that the country's trade with Iran remain unaffected by Western sanctions. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently suggested that the concerns had already been overcome. Security Threat Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged the United States to listen to calls against any removal of the Revolutionary Guards from the U.S. terrorism blacklist. In a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Bennett said that his government was concerned about the intention to delist the IRGC. He hoped that the U.S. will hear the concerned voices from the region, Israel, and others. On the other hand, Tehran has been pushing for guarantees that any future president of the United States would no longer withdraw from a future agreement. Many of the U.S.'s allies in the Gulf along with Israel remain concerned that Iran is a security threat. Israel's foreign minister said on Sunday that his country and the United States will continue to work together to ensure that a nuclear-armed Iran is prevented. During a joint press conference with Blinken, Yair Lapid said that Israel had disagreements about the negotiations with Iran and their consequences. However, he noted that open and honest dialogue was part of the process of strengthening the countries' friendship and relations, Reuters reported. Related Article: Maduro Enters Military Pact With Russia, Disregards Biden's Desperate Attempt To Isolate Moscow @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. French President Emmanuel Macron has considered Joe Biden's remark in the recent summit as not helpful and incendiary to efforts via diplomacy. Unlike the US, the bloc has a lot to lose whenever President Biden commits a blunder. Many have come to doubt if the US leader has cognitive soundness and a gross comparison compared to the firm leadership of Donald Trump. Macron's Hopes To Stop the War Through Diplomacy Macron is keeping away from the allegations that the Russian president is a butcher, which is out of line with the goals of the EU, reported the Express UK. He has not closed the lines of communication with the Kremlin and is less likely to cause a furor like the US president. His goal and the EU to stop a war, not fight one, is lost on the US leader. He noted that in his next phone contact with Putin, he would seek support for a French-Turkish-Greek relief crisis to leave Mariupol, which could take effect on Monday or Tuesday. The US has been sending weapons that prolong the war and the suffering of the Ukrainians, who are barely keeping up with assaults by the Russians, despite claims saying it's going well. Contrary to the war hawks in Washington, the French president said that EU negotiators were hoping to pull back the Russian troops through diplomacy. Macron criticized Biden's approach, which caused more conflict, stressing de-escalation by saying the right word and actions, noted the Moscow Times. A stark lack of diplomacy with the butcher remark and the supposed mastery of US policy's current US policy could have been a mirage. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Net Worth 2022: Does Anyone Know Russian President's Hidden Wealth? Last Sunday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian addressed the Doha Forum international conference and said that there'd be collective blame for nothing done to assist civilians in Mariupol. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk Kyiv and Moscow decided on two humanitarian corridors to remove civilians from frontline areas, including Mariupol inhabitants who depart by private automobile, last Sunday. White House Covers Biden's Remarks A flustered White House tried to cover up the embarrassing remarks by Joe Biden that many bloc leaders did not accept. That only showed that the US leader had a narrow perception of the conflict, strengthening the opinion that he allegedly made it harder for his allies to reach an agreement, cited the Head Topics. No one bought the like that the US is readying for a longer conflict; the White House cannot hide that something is amiss with the Biden administration. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had to correct the Sunday comment with a facile explanation spinning what was meant as a regime change or vicious overthrow of Putin as the answer. It only made the Biden administration look allegedly inept by changing the damaging implication of the statement. A harsh rebuke from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov last Sunday said that Russians elect Putin. He then called the words of the US president inappropriate filled with vitriol. He added that more countries other than America and Europe are concerned. A far-right presidential hopeful in France, Marine Le Pen, said she endorsed Mr. Macron's position. She agreed that the US leader was incorrect, and the French leader was wise not to support it. In Poland, Joe Biden called Putin a butcher and should be deposed, which many viewed as a foolish remark. French President Emmanuel Macron and his approach to suing for a ceasefire make it hard due to the butcher remark. Related Article: Joe Biden Falls Into Another Foreign Policy Disaster With Attempts To Resurrect Iran Nuclear Deal @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple's smartwatches and the Life360 app are not meant for tracking people, as one man in Nashville, Tennessee, learned the hard way. According to police arrest affidavits, the man in question was arrested Friday for attaching an Apple Watch to his girlfriend's car to track her whereabouts. Police identified the man responsible for the attempted stalking as 29-year-old Lawrence Welch. Apple Watch Tracking Details According to a report from WSMV 4, officers arrived at the Family Safety Center on Murfreesboro Pike after the Family Safety Center's security called authorities informing them that Welch showed up at the center while his victim, Welch's girlfriend, was trying to acquire an order of protection. The victim told police that Welch threatened to kill her multiple times and that she had come to the Family Safety Center in the past. The victim then told police that she and Welch had been using the Life360 app to know of each other's whereabouts, but she turned off the app before visiting Family Safety Centers in the past. The victim would then receive texts from Welsh on these occasions, demanding her to inform him of her whereabouts and call him. However, in the victim's latest trip to the Family Safety Center, Welch eventually went to the Family Safety Center and crouched by the wheel nearest to the front passenger's door instead of approaching or entering the building. Officers spotted an Apple Watch attached to the wheel's spokes when they arrived, which was later confirmed to be Welch's. Read More: Bitcoin Surges Past $45,000 Can It Go Higher? According to Apple Insider, Welch used his Apple Watch as a workaround for the deactivation of the victim's Life360 app on their device. Welch kept his version active on the Apple Watch and relied on that to track her location. Welch is facing two domestic assault charges from events that happened in July 2021 which led to an arrest in December 2021. Police added one additional charge to Welch's record: the attaching of an electronic tracking device to his girlfriend's vehicle. Apple Watch Tracking: Is It Possible? Illegal? As Welch demonstrated, tracking or stalking someone using an Apple Watch is possible, with the only catch being that people have to use their own Apple Watch to do it. Tracking the Apple Watch is possible through the Find My app, which was meant to help people find missing belongings through GPS, per Apple's official website. People can also track others using the Find People app, which allows friends and family members who use iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch SE, or Apple Watch Series 3 to track one another. However, the person being tracked has to agree to share their location with the tracker before the feature is enabled, per a separate Apple page. However, tracking someone without their explicit consent is a crime, as Welsh found out. According to Brick House Security, it is generally illegal to use a GPS tracking device if someone is attempting to track their significant other in their car, which Welsh did. It is also illegal for someone to track a car that does not belong to the tracker while they do not have the legal right to do so. Apple previously mentioned that it condemns in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of its products including stalking, According to its page on their update for the AirTag. Related Article: Apple Maps Coming to Canada: Curated Guides, Cycling Directions, and More Google Chrome security update has released an emergency fix for the CVE-2022-1096 vulnerability exploit. An anonymous cybersecurity researcher previously reported a zero-day exploitation bug in Google, the CVE-2022-1096. As a result of the high-severity zero-day bug that has been exploited in the wild, Google has released Chrome 99.0.4844.84 for users of Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems to patch the bug detected. According to Google, "The Stable channel has been updated to 99.0.4844.84 for Windows, Mac and Linux which will roll out over the coming days/weeks." In the meantime, the 99.0.4844.84 version is already rolling out worldwide in the Stable Desktop channel. Google added that it estimates it will only be a matter of weeks before the new version reaches the entire user base. The emergency update to Chrome version 99.0.4844.84 is notable for the fact that it only addresses a single security issue, which is exceedingly unusual for Google. Furthermore, it is even more important to underline how severe this situation is. Google's First Chrome Exploit of 2022: CVE-2022-0609 Google stated that the zero-day bug fixed on Friday, March 25, tracked as CVE-2022-1096 is a high-severity Type Confusion in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine. A Type Confusion in V8 JavaScript engine exploit has been identified as a vulnerability that exists in the field and is being actively exploited. V8 is a component of Chrome that is in charge of parsing JavaScript code and other scripts. During data execution operations, type confusion refers to coding flaws in which an application initializes data execution processes with the input of a given "type," but is deceived into considering the input as a different "type." In the application's memory, this results in logical flaws which may allow an attacker to execute unconstrained malicious code within the application. Read Also: Afraid Data Brokers Are Selling Your Personal Information? This 1 Tool Prevents It From Happening As reported by Bleeping Computer, type confusion flaws usually cause browsers to crash after they are exploited by reading or writing memory outside of buffer bounds; threat attackers can still use them to run arbitrary code. In the latest Chrome Release, Google notes that the details about this latest bug will be restricted for the time being until the majority of the users have installed the patch for the vulnerability. Google also added, "We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven't yet fixed." CVE-2022-0609: North Korea's Exploit The CVE-2022-1096 exploit is the second vulnerability reported in Chrome. CVE-2022-0609 is the first exploit Google has tracked since the beginning of the year as early as Jan. 4, 2022. Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG) detected the state hackers supported by North Korea exploited the CVE-2022-0609 zero-day vulnerability weeks before the February patch was released. The first zero-day exploit was used by two different threat actors that were backed by the North Korean government to spread malware. These threat actors used phishing emails with fake job offers and websites that had been hacked to hide iframes that served as an exploit kit. Since this zero-day vulnerability has been reported to have been exploited by attackers in the wild, it is strongly suggested that everyone update to the latest Google Chrome version as soon as possible. Related Article: SysJoker Malware Can Damage Your Windows, Mac PC: Warning Signs, How to Remove If You're Attacked Will Smith and Chris Rock stole the show at this year's Oscars 2022 awards night. As Chris Rock made his usual comedian jokes, he received a thundering slap in the face from Will Smith himself after the comedian made a joke in bad taste about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. During the Academy Awards night on Sunday, Chris Rock was presenting the award for best documentary feature. As a comedian, Rock was up to making a few jokes during his time on stage. A few of them being sort of offensive. Chris Rock basically joked that Jada Pinkett Smith, because of her shaved haircut, could have been cast in the next G.I. Jane movie. Unfortunately, Jada Smith has been struggling with alopecia, a hair loss condition, and did not react well to the joke neither did Will Smith. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Reaction Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were both seen with uncomfortable faces with the series of jokes. Will Smith was seated near the Oscars stage and went directly to slap Chris Rock. As reported by Variety, despite the fact that the audio from the U.S. broadcast was cut, the full video of the incident appears to have been broadcast on international broadcasts and has been shared on Twitter. The international broadcast of the Oscars 2022 also caught Will Smith in the act telling Chris Rock to keep "his wife's name" out of his "f**king mouth." Both the live audience and audience watching the broadcast at home are all shocked and confused as to whether or not the argument was part of a planned segment, though it does not appear to be. Here's uncensored footage from Twitter user David Mock, stating that no part of the Oscars 2022 shocking event was cut out in Australian TV. UNCENSORED WILL SMITH FOOTAGE AS SHOWN ON AUSTRALIAN TV pic.twitter.com/NcRfdjWxqe David Mack (@davidmackau) March 28, 2022 Twitter user Saeed Jones posted a photo comparing the reactions of celebrities in the live audience. These are the compiled reactions from Lady Gaga, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, The Rock, Meryl Streep, and many more! All of us watching what just went down between Will, Chris and Jada: #Oscars pic.twitter.com/g34XV10SV7 Saeed Jones (@theferocity) March 28, 2022 Another Twitter user @maxiebae98 has posted a photo of Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita who was seated close to both Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. LUPITA IN THE BEHIND WILL SMITH IS KILLING ME #AcademyAwards pic.twitter.com/U8Sxe5fvJS December Fairy (@maxiebae98) March 28, 2022 Numerous Twitter users are reacting to the collage of photos of Jay Z, Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, the shocked reaction of Nicole Kidman, and Zendaya on her phone, which was posted on Twitter. IM CRYING WHY WAS THE SLAP SO LOUD NOT BEYONCE SMILING #theslap #willsmith #whatjusthappened pic.twitter.com/IIeIJijmlt saw nwh x3 (@luciifixx) March 28, 2022 @genascrown also posted a side-by-side photo of the Spider-Man actor Andrew Garfield and Zendaya caught on their phones. Fans are speculating that both of them are texting "Spider-Man: No Way Home" actor Tom Holland about the Oscars 2022 tea. Both of them texting Tom the tea about Chris Rock and Will Smith as we speak Bet theres a gc #Oscars #AcademyAwards pic.twitter.com/rcnJZm4GtZ (@genascrown) March 28, 2022 Another meme was posted by MGAG media company stating "How Asian parents fix stuff" referring to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Read Also: Google Chrome Security Update: CVE-2022-1096 a High-Severity Zero-Day Exploit Will Smith for Best Actor Will Smith did not only grab the spotlight after slapping Chris, he also won as Best Actor. After Smith was announced as the winner, he gave a long, emotional speech in which he expressed his desire to be "an ambassador of love" and apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees, presumably for his earlier outburst. Smith was moved to tears during the whole ordeal. People were quick to quote Smith for being a "vessel of love" Another Twitter user stated Will Smith, "1 for Best Actor and another for Outstanding Fight Sequence #AcademyAwards." Will Smith should have received 2 Oscars tonight. 1 for Best Actor and another for Outstanding Fight Sequence #AcademyAwards pic.twitter.com/GEyaet6ZPP Iowa Is The Whitest Place On Earth (@daypeacecomedy) March 28, 2022 Related Article: Academy Awards Honors 'CODA': Apple's First Best Picture Award,Best Supporting Actor, and More! Israel, U.S. to cooperate to prevent nuclear-armed Iran: FM Xinhua) 09:22, March 28, 2022 JERUSALEM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Israel and the United States will "work together" to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons despite their disagreements over the emerging nuclear deal, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said Sunday after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "We have disagreements between us about the nuclear agreement and its consequences, but the open and honest dialogue is part of the strength of our friendship," Lapid said at a joint press conference in Jerusalem after the meeting. "Israel and the United States will continue to work together to prevent a nuclear Iran," he said. Blinken said that the emerging renewed nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is the best way "to put Iran's nuclear program back in the box it was in." He said both the United States and Israel are committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear arms, while reiterating his country's "ironclad support to Israel's security." Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to participate in the first summit of foreign ministers of Arab countries that have normalized ties with Israel. The so-called Negev Summit will be opened later on Sunday in the Negev Desert in southern Israel. Later today, Blinken is expected to travel to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, before departing to Algeria and Morocco. His regional tour focuses on reaffirming the United States' commitment to the security of its allies in the region and enlisting support to Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) French director Denis Dercourt / Courtesy of JNC Media Group By Kwak Yeon-soo With Korean content on a massive upward trajectory, there has been more collaboration between foreign directors and Korean talent. French filmmaker Denis Dercourt, who directed the multilingual film "Vanishing," said he was most impressed with how everyone on the Korean production teams he worked with had a deep understanding of cinema and how well-prepared they were even before shooting. "From Korean cinema to music, everything about Korea is important in the world. It was a real pleasure to write a movie set in Korea and work with great actors, producers and technicians," he said during a recent interview with Korean reporters. "It is no mystery that Korean films are everywhere in the world because they work so hard. I would write an email from Europe even though it is night in Korea, and I would immediately get an answer," he added. The film revolves around forensic scientist Alice (Olga Kurylenko) who visits Korea for a conference. Korean detective Jin-ho (Yoo Yeon-seok) asks her to help identify a victim's body in a murder case, and, as they dig into the case, they find leads linked to an organ-trafficking syndicate. Picking "Seopyonje" and "Burning" as his favorite Korean films, Dercourt revealed that it was important for him to understand Korean mentality to avoid cliches. "I watched a lot of Korean movies to learn how directors like Bong Joon-ho let actors play or represent police work. I wanted to do that in a Korean way," he said. A scene from the film, "Vanishing" / Courtesy of JNC Media Group The director said he tried to capture the stunning night city scenes to give a little romance to the mystery thriller film. "There were a lot of night scenes. I asked the filming location scout to pick somewhere nice, but not cliched. Since the film is told through the eyes of Alice, it helped me think how a foreigner sees the landscape. I wanted to create a movie that would appeal to foreign audiences, yet not be a cliche to the Korean audience," he said. "Since the audience, especially in Korea, are intelligent, they can feel something emotional just with a little glimpse. I knew that it could not be a big love story. It is a thriller, but I wanted the audience to think 'Oh, that could be a hint of a relationship.'" Dercourt also expressed satisfaction with the Korean cast, whom he worked with for the first time. "With Yeon-seok, it is difficult to forget that he is really handsome. But he doesn't want you to think that he is handsome. He wants to play a part. The first time I saw him was in 'Oldboy.' I knew from the beginning he's a very good actor," he said. The French director created Mi-sook (Ye Ji-won) because he wanted Alice to come from another country and not speak Korean. "At first it was for language reasons, but then I realized Mi-sook is a fantastic character because you have to give Alice some conflict," he explained. Ye's French skills improved dramatically over time. "I have never seen that improvement in my whole directing life. In France, everybody thinks that she speaks absolutely perfect French. We did some very difficult things with her. She shot her last scene on our first shooting day. I am so impressed with her." "Vanishing" will hit local theaters, Wednesday. K-pop supergroup BTS on Monday left for Las Vegas to attend the annual Grammy Awards and hold four live concerts. The group appeared at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, about 40 kilometers west of Seoul, at about 6:40 p.m. and headed for the departure hall after greeting fans and reporters who were waiting for them. Members Jungkook and J-Hope, however, did not show up. Jungkook left earlier due to his schedule related to the awards ceremony while J-Hope, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, is expected to head for the United States after he is released from self-isolation. BTS was nominated for best pop duo or group performance for the 64th Grammy Awards on Sunday (U.S. time), possibly to become the first-ever K-pop artist to win a Grammy. The South Korean septet will also take the stage at the awards ceremony as a performer for the third consecutive year. It performed with Lil Nas X at the 62nd Grammy Awards held two years ago and hit the stage alone to perform its megahit "Dynamite" at the event's 63rd edition in March last year. After the ceremony, BTS will hold four live concerts in front of fans at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 8-9 and 15-16. (Yonhap) The signboard of the now-dissolved Chungchong Bank is seen in this photo taken in 1991, seven years before it was shut down as part of a massive restructuring drive prompted by the Asian Financial Crisis. Korea Times file By Yi Whan-woo The country's central provinces of Chungcheong are apparently encouraged by President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's push to foster the banking industry outside of Seoul, after 24 years of being the only regions in the country with no provincial bank of their own. The president-elect has been calling for moving state-run banks out of the nation's capital, with a special interest in the relocation of Korea Development Bank (KDB) to Busan, in the name of balanced regional development. The pledge does not explicitly mean Yoon will set up a new provincial banking brand committed to the regional economy and operating accordingly within the targeted region exclusively, in contrast to major banks. Yet the residents of North and South Chungcheong provinces still find Yoon's pledge promising, believing it can eventually prompt the establishment of a regional banking brand, according to sources familiar with the matter, Monday. More than 700 people participated in a campaign that began on March 25 to promote the opening of a provincial bank for the Chungcheong region. Jointly led by South Chungcheong Province Governor Yang Seung-jo and Kongju National University President Won Sung-soo, the campaign involves politicians, professors, civil activists and bankers, both retired and active. The members will collect 1 million signatures, attract investors, seek the support of regional media outlets and carry out other relevant campaigns to facilitate the establishment of a provincial bank. People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Hong Moon-pyo, from South Chungcheong Province, is contributing to the campaign. On March 23, he proposed a bill aimed at overhauling the country's banking laws to allow regional governments to fund more than 15 percent of the capital needed when setting up a bank in their jurisdiction. The establishment of a regional bank currently requires 25 billion won ($20.3 million) worth of capital as a precondition, which private investors have found difficult to fully raise without assistance. Under the circumstances, restricting the local government's support to 15 percent was seen as a barrier. "Easing the private sector's burden and drawing out the regional government's support to a maximum level can raise the chances for a Chungcheong-based bank," Rep. Hong said, adding he will push for the passage of the bill by the end of the year. The Chungcheong provinces used to have a regional bank until June 1998, when it was closed as part of a massive restructuring drive prompted by the Asian Financial Crisis. The two provinces combined are ranked third nationwide in terms of gross regional domestic product (GRDP), a measurement of a regional economy. However, they are also ranked the highest when it comes to the rate of GRDP being spent outside the region. In 2019, 25 trillion won of South Chungcheong Province's GRDP worth 113.5 trillion won flowed out of the region. Overall deposits in South Chungcheong Province accounted for 1.6 percent of deposits nationwide, while the region's borrowings accounted for 2.2 percent of the national total. By Lee Hae-rin Legoland Korea, the 10th Legoland in the world and first global theme park in the country, will officially open in the eastern city of Chuncheon on Children's Day, May 5. The Gangwon Provincial Government held a completion ceremony for the theme park in the city, Saturday, 11 years after the memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed, in September 2011. The theme park covers an area of 280,000 square meters and offers over 40 rides in seven zones with different Lego themes. The resort also features 150 rooms and suites, which are also designed to be made with Legos. Legoland first opened its global Lego-themed amusement park in Denmark in 1968. The latest property opened in New York state last September, The theme park will run a trial opening from April 1 to May 4, until it officially opens on May 5. The entrance fee to Legoland Korea is 60,000 won ($49) for adults and 50,000 won ($40) for minors aged between six to 12 years of age. Meanwhile, several civic groups held protests against the theme park's opening before and during the ceremony. According to the civic groups, the theme park has been built by destroying the natural environment and historical sites. In 2014, ancient artifacts were found on the site of Legoland on Joong Island and Bukhan River, bringing a temporary halt to the theme park's construction. Gangwon Province said that it expects to create over 9,000 jobs and have 2 million annual visitors. It estimates that 590 billion won ($482 million) will be earned from tourism to the theme park. Other civic and labor groups have questioned the theme park's actual contribution to the local economy, as traffic congestion concerns limit the number of potential visitors, and nearly 90 percent of the jobs created will be irregular. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un smiles following a test-firing of what the North said was a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, at an undisclosed location in North Korea, March 24, in this photo distributed by the North Korean government. Yonhap North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stressed that his country will further develop a "powerful strike means" to reinforce national defense capabilities, state media reported Monday, days after Pyongyang claimed to have launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Kim made the comments during a photo session with officials and scientists who contributed to the "successful" testing of a Hwasong-17 ICBM, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "We must be strong under whatever circumstances to defend peace, accelerate socialist construction and be responsible for the security of the rising generations, free from any threat," Kim was quoted as saying. He added that Pyongyang will "continue to attain the goal of reinforcing national defense capabilities, develop more of powerful strike means to make our People's Army equip with them." Kim also emphasized that a country can prevent a war and guarantee its security only when it is equipped with "formidable striking capabilities" and "overwhelming military power that cannot be stopped by anyone." He then said that the development of the North's national defense would have been "unthinkable without the trust and ardent patriotism of all the people who rendered unconditional and absolute support and encouragement to the indispensable sacred cause of building up the nuclear war deterrence of the country." Last week, the North claimed to have test-fired the Hwasong-17 ICBM under the supervision of Kim. South Korea and the United States believe the North tested a Hwasong-15 ICBM, the same type it fired in late 2017, and disguised its launch as that of a Hwasong-17, informed sources said Sunday, after an analysis of the missile's engine nozzles and engine combustion time. (Yonhap) President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, right, shakes hands with Japanese Ambassador to Seoul Koichi Aiboshi at Yoon's office in Seoul, March 28. Yonhap President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday he believes relations with Japan can be improved if the two countries take a future-oriented approach to difficult issues. Yoon made the remark during a meeting at his office with Japanese Ambassador to Seoul Koichi Aiboshi, saying communication was the key to resolving differences. "If the two countries' political leaders, government officials and peoples push the bilateral relationship forward in a future-oriented manner, even if other issues may seem difficult, they will be resolved well through dialogue," he said. "I think Korea-Japan relations must be improved in a future-oriented way and urgently restored to a good relationship as before, and I think both sides will need to make a lot of effort," he said. His comments come as bilateral ties have suffered from historical disputes stemming from Tokyo's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The meeting was initially scheduled for March 17 but postponed after Aiboshi tested positive for COVID-19. Yoon spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, March 11, two days after his election. During that call, he stressed the importance of resolving pending issues between the two countries in a rational manner in line with their mutual common interests. He also expressed the hope that Korea, the United States and Japan will further strengthen coordination on Korean Peninsula issues once he takes office. Aiboshi congratulated Yoon on his election win and said he was pleased with how the phone conversation went. (Yonhap) Korea's Army has been carrying out this year's first brigade-level field training involving a high-tech combat simulation system, its officials said Monday. The 10-day training involving some 4,500 troops began at the Army's Korea Combat Training Center (KCTC) in Inje, 165 kilometers east of Seoul, last Monday as the country seeks to reinforce military drills amid persistent North Korean threats. The training center harnesses the "multiple integrated laser engagement system" that allows soldiers to engage in simulated combat scenarios against hostile forces without using live ammunition. The Army has mobilized tanks, armored vehicles and howitzers, along with attack and utility choppers, to create real-life battle environments. The training also included a high-intensity session, in which troops train for four consecutive days. Starting this year, the Army plans to hold what was an annual KCTC training four times a year. The Army added it maintains a strict COVID-19 policy and has carried out rapid antigen tests on all participating troops. (Yonhap) By Ko Dong-hwan Residents of Yeongdeok County and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province organized a street demonstration, Monday, to protest against President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's purported plan to build a new nuclear power plant in the coastal county. The protesters were irate at Yoon's plan, as it was already previously overruled by overwhelming majority of the local residents, who object to the idea. The protesters said that they assembled in front of the Yeongdeok County Office building in the morning after seeing Yoon's interview with a news media outlet saying he will jump-start nuclear power generation in the county. Reviving the country's nuclear power plants was Yoon's pledge as a presidential candidate. The plan was objected to by over 92 percent of the county's approximately 40,000 residents in 2015. The plan's failure to draw local support was accepted, and the plan was officially repealed in the National Assembly under the Moon Jae-in administration in March 2021. The protesters condemned Yoon for regurgitating a policy that has already been resoundingly objected by the area's local residents. "We feel both rage and sorrow that Yoon made such an infuriating commitment even before being inaugurated," the protesters said. "We vow to defend our cause until the death, or until Yoon's Presidential Transition Committee gets rid of its proposed plan." The protesters said that it took 10 years of struggle for the plan to build a nuclear power plant in Yeongdeok to get repealed. By Lee Eung-tae My daughter-in-law contracted COVID-19 while caring for her daughter and husband. Unlike the mild symptoms they suffered, she can't even open her mouth because of her severe sore throat. My wife and I were heartbroken that she is terribly sick and burnt out while fulfilling her multiple roles as an attorney in a financial company, wife, daughter, daughter in-law and mother of our granddaughter. Her workload poignantly highlights the dire status of women in Korea. Over the years, women have fought strenuously for rights that are now taken for granted. Nevertheless, approximately 1.4 million women worldwide are trapped in the sex trade. In places like Afghanistan and Africa, girls receive little or no education, wives are treated as the property of their husbands and women who are raped are callously cast out of their homes for "disgracing" their families. Koreans abhor the treatment of women in these countries, and cracks are appearing everywhere in the glass ceiling. However attitudes are biased and the status of women needs radical improvement. The COO of Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly known as Facebook, Inc.), Sheryl Sandberg, wrote: "A truly equal world would be one where women ran half of the world and companies and men ran half of our homes." But the reality is that very few leadership roles are open to female professionals, who drop out of the workforce to take care of their families. Having seen their mothers try to do everything well, other young women may decide to prioritize their careers. This clearly shows that globally, as well as in Korea, social conditions are not yet favorable to women. Every new president taking office vows to craft a country where men and women are truly equal. However, the blunt truth is that men still dominate. The vast majority of the newly elected presidential transition members are men. It's claimed that the choice was based on ability and experience, not on gender. One official explained: "To serve the country, you need to look at their talent, not their story." Then, does untried talent outweigh past career achievements? A famous female CEO once said, "In the competitive recruitment market, men are often chosen based on their potential alone, whereas women are judged on their past careers." This statement seems to say that "potential" is the domain of men, not that of women. This logic reflects the distorted perception that men are more capable than women. Therefore, men are more likely to be appointed to the presidential committee, so when it comes to decision making, women's voices will not be fairly incorporated. After the election, the new first lady was quoted as saying she preferred to be called the "president's spouse" rather than the first lady. Her desire was to stay in the background, "quietly assisting" her husband, thus conveniently avoiding possible negative outcomes. She seems to downplay and devalue her important role as a representative of women in Korea, and to avoid her innumerable responsibilities, including that of enhancing the status of women. If she yields to the criticism directed at her during the presidential campaign and does not dare to be outspoken, who then will be in the forefront of the campaign for women's rights? Lee Eung-tae (eungtae@gmail.com) is a former high school teacher who taught English for 35 years. Addison Rae was dressed to the nines for Vanity Fair's annual Oscar's bash on Sunday night with boyfriend Omer Fedi on her arm. The 21-year-old TikTok star flaunted her curves in a black gown with a structured sheer bodice while her beau took a decidedly more casual approach to the dress code. The couple were two of many A-list stars - like Kim Kardashian, Lana Condor and Jessica Chastain - who came out to Beverly Hills for the yearly soiree thrown after The Academy Awards. Date night! Addison Rae was dressed to the nines for Vanity Fair's annual Oscar's bash on Sunday night with boyfriend Omer Fedi on her arm Rae looked positively smitten with her 21-year-old boyfriend outside of the party. She gazed lovingly at Omer who was dressed in an oversized cotton top, black leggings tucked into chunky combat boots and a black trench coat. His shoulder-length, wavy half black, half Kool-Aid red hair stood out against his skin and Fedi lined his eyes in a dark kohl. Addison, meanwhile, looked far more glamorous in a black gown by her designer of the moment, MONOT, with a structured sheer bodice that featured boning and an elongated sweetheart neck. Her sultry style was mimicked at the party by Kate Hudson who sported nearly the same mesh black gown with visible boning. Love birds: Rae looked positively smitten with her 21-year-old boyfriend outside of the Vanity Fair Oscar's afterparty and was spotted gazing lovingly at Omer Dress code? Omer was dressed in an oversized cotton top, black leggings tucked into chunky combat boots and a black trench coat and made a statement with his shoulder-length, wavy half black, half Kool-Aid red hair Stunner! Addison, meanwhile, looked far more glamorous in a black gown by her designer of the moment, MONOT, with a structured sheer bodice that featured boning and an elongated sweetheart neck For her glam, Addison embraced the 90s with a piecy updo with face framing strands, silvery shadow and a coral lip. She channeled her inner Audrey Hepburn, however, when it came to accessories and sported a multi-strand pearl choker. The TikTok star also sported a manicure created by beauty pro Thuy Nguyen using shades from Lottie London's new collection of polishes - which Addison helped to launch during her appearance at the event. According to Thuy, her pearlescent nails were meant to mimic the pearls she wore around her neck at the lavish soiree. Inside the party, the actress was seen chatting with fellow Netflix star Lana Condor who radiated in a bold orange gown - which she matched to her own chic manicure from the evening, a red-and-orange heart design also created by Thuy, this time using two shades from OPI: Heart and Con-Soul, and Trading Paint. The To All The Boys star accessorized her orange dress with a Brilliant Earth necklace for added bling. Outside of the event, Addison was seen cuddling up to her beau Omer Fedi, who she has been dating since May 2021, after they were introduced by Kourtney Kardashian and her fiance Travis Barker. Retro: For her glam, Addison embraced the 90s with a piecy updo with face framing strands, silvery shadow and a coral lip Connections: The social media starlet has been been dating boyfriend Omer Fedi since May 2021, after they were introduced by Kourtney Kardashian and her fiance Travis Barker Omer moved to Los Angeles from Israel with his dad when he was 16 and could barely speak English. Growing up, his dad was one of Israel's most accomplished drummers. The 21-year-old boasts an impressive list of credentials with his most recent being a producing credit on The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber's chart topping song, Stay and Lil Nas X's Montero album. Their romance came only two short months after Addison ended her on and off relationship with TikTok star Bryce Hall. Star power: Inside the party, the actress was seen chatting with fellow Netflix star Lana Condor who radiated in red Addison Rae has snapped up her own series on Snapchat called Addison Rae Goes Home. In the mobile phone friendly series, the social media sensation leaves her busy life in Los Angeles for her home in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she attempts to reconnect and revisit her roots. A trailer for the 10-episode program shows the former Louisiana State University student revisiting her childhood haunts and hanging out with her family and old friends. Last year, the young actress signed a multi-movie deal with Netflix following the successful premiere of her first full-length feature 'He's All That.' The romantic comedy ranked No. 1 on the platform in 78 countries, including Brazil, France and Saudi Arabia. Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler enjoyed a coffee date before heading over to Ashley Tisdale's house for her daughter's first birthday party on Saturday afternoon. The 20-year-old supermodel looked effortlessly cool wearing a chic floral dress with a pair of green velvet Mary Jane ballet flats while walking to their car in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Austin, 30, sported a casual white long-sleeved thermal with black pants, and carried what looked like a present for his friend's little girl as they made their way to the star-studded bash in the hills. Lovers in LA: Kaia Gerber and Austin Butler enjoyed a coffee date before heading over to Ashley Tisdale's house for her daughter's first birthday party on Saturday afternoon Model moment: The 20-year-old supermodel looked effortlessly cool wearing a chic floral dress with a pair of green velvet Mary Jane ballet flats while walking to their car in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles Kaia's dark brown hair was worn freshly blown out with tresses cascading down her back, and she wore a pair of dark sunglasses. The couple reportedly began dating nearly three months ago after she split from Jacob Elordi. He was previously in a relationship with Vanessa Hudgens for eight years before the pair broke up in early 2020. Austen and Kaia were later spotted at Ashley's house where they celebrated her daughter Jupiter's first birthday in style. Cutie: Austin, 30, sported a casual white long-sleeved thermal with black pants, and carried what looked like a present for his friend's little girl as they made their way to the star-studded bash in the hills Proud parents: Ashley Tisdale and husband Christopher French pulled out all of the stops to make sure their daughter Jupiter celebrated her first birthday in style as they partied the day away with her longtime pal, Austin Butler Tisdale who has been in the industry for decades and found fame as the star of High School Musical invited a slew of her famous friends to the soiree for her baby girl, including Lea Michele, Austin and his new girlfriend, Kaia Gerber, who was seen relaxing on the grass The 36-year-old actress turned her backyard into a gorgeous bohemian oasis with vibrant orange, white and yellow balloon garlands filling the outdoor area which included a ball pit and bounce house, and was covered with blankets and pillows. Tisdale who has been in the industry for decades and found fame as the star of High School Musical invited a slew of her famous friends to the soiree for her baby girl, including Lea Michele, Austin and Kaia. Austin and Ashley have been friends for more than two decades and costarred in Disney Channel's Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure in 2011, based on her HSM character Sharpay Evans. Ashley radiated beauty wearing a gorgeous red and white button down Gucci blouse with a pair of distressed jean shorts to commemorate the big day for her first born. She stayed comfortable in a pair of white leather loafers and wore her light brown hair in loose waves with tendrils cascading across her shoulders. Her long time friend, Lea Michelle, rocked a beautiful floral minidress with billowing sleeves and a flowing skirt for the children's bash. 'I love you @ashleytisdale,' she wrote across a snap of the pair shared to Michelle's seven million followers as they paused for a photo while celebrating Jupiter's big day. 'I love you @ashleytisdale,' she wrote across a snap of the pair shared to Michelle's seven million followers as they paused for a photo while celebrating Jupiter's big day Smashing success: Her daughter was decked out in a matching Gucci onesie outfit with the brand's signature print in a rainbow pattern Rock out: The party was not complete with out a performance by The BeatBuds, the Southern California band beloved by fans of all ages Her daughter was decked out in a matching Gucci onesie outfit with the brand's signature print in a rainbow pattern. 'We are on planet Jupiter today,' Ashley wrote as she shared just a glimpse of the incredible scene created by Corrie Mendes and the C Event Studios team. The party was not complete with out a performance by The BeatBuds, the highly-coveted Southern California band beloved by fans of all ages. Jonathan Jonah and Matthew Shapiro are Los Angeles natives and created the children's band years ago, with mega manager Scooter Braun jumping on board to represent the duo a few years ago. 'We are on planet Jupiter today,' Ashley wrote as she shared just a glimpse of the incredible scene created by Corrie Mendes and the C Event Studios team Stunning: The 36-year-old actress turned her backyard into a gorgeous bohemian oasis with vibrant orange, white and yellow balloon garlands filling the outdoor area which included a ball pit and bounce house, and was covered with blankets and pillows Taking her time: Jupiter made sure to be delicate about her most prized dessert Ball pit for a princess! A quick outfit change and it was time for the ball pit as Ashley and Jupiter posed for photos with friends They're known for their own, kid-friendly brand of funky songs that engage both children and adults with upbeat music and instruments. A quick outfit change and it was time for the ball pit as Ashley and Jupiter posed for photos with friends. Tisdale enlisted the help of a face painter at the party and showed off a few beautiful blooms on her cheek while posing with friends Shelley Buckner and Natalie Saidi. Friends forever: Tisdale enlisted the help of a face painter at the party and showed off a few beautiful blooms on her cheek while posing with friends Shelley Buckner and Natalie Saidi Best party ever? In addition the the ball pit and BeatBuds performance, the kids had the time of their lives jumping in a mini bounce house. Baby Kennedy Hawk had the room to herself, if only for a minute Endoderma's cosmetics product sold by GLS in Europe / Courtesy of Endoderma By Kim Jae-heun GLS, a European sales partner of Endoderma, is grateful to work with the Korean bio-venture firm, which it believes holds plenty of potential for medical use. "The patented technology is really impressive and leads to best-in-class, science-backed products. We are proud to be in this journey as partners and to represent this technology especially for the European market," GLS CEO Benedikt Burkhardt said during an interview with The Korea Times, on March 16. Endoderma's microneedle technology, which delivers drugs by attaching a patch with fine-sized needles to the body, holds tremendous potential for different kinds of uses. It is particularly true for cosmetic purposes, but the potential medical use of such innovative technology is also on the horizon. "The technology closes the gap between injections and cutaneous application of for example creams. I think this explains the enormous potential for microneedle technology," Burkhardt said. Burkhardt sees huge potential for this relatively young technology, which has already been accepted in the industry. "As always, new application forms need to create trust and this takes time. However, Endoderma's technology is very well accepted already and we see great potential for further growth in the medical field. With the right partners in the right segments, this application form can be tremendously successful and helpful for many people," Burkhardt said. "GLS is grateful to share mutual values with Endoderma like trust, transparency and the hard work to offer excellent products with maximum effect to customers." They starred together in the 1985 movie Perfect, famous for its high-octane workout scenes. And stars Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta enjoyed a reunion as they met up at the Oscars together on Sunday. Curtis, 63, and Travolta, 68, posed together backstage at the event having both appeared onstage individually for separate segments of the show. Starry night: Jamie Lee Curtis, 63, and John Travolta, 68, enjoy a 'Perfect' reunion at the Oscars Travolta had taken to the stage for a Pulp Fiction reunion with his co-stars Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson. Meanwhile, Curtis appeared in the 'In Memoriam' segment, as she paid tribute to the late Betty White and encouraged viewers at home to adopt a rescue puppy in her honor. Talking about the rescue puppy that she brought to the stage, Curtis wrote in her Instagram post: 'Although I loved connecting with old friends like my PERFECT mate @johntravolta I also made new friends like Chad Atkins who is the founder and executive director of @pawworks where the sweet, beautiful little rescue pup I brought with me to make the OSCAR tribute to Betty White came from.' Throwback: They starred together in the 1985 movie Perfect, famous for its high-octane workout scenes She continued: 'Chad and his team were incredible partners and I selected mac & cheese from a big group of photographs of little rescue pups that they have on their website.' Finishing up the message, she concluded: 'Beyond excited that we are all connected in Betty and Linda McCartney's names and honor and their advocacy.#rescuedog #adoptdontshop' The movie Perfect wasn't a hit for either star when it released, but it seems the pair still think of it fondly - with Curtis giving the title a shout out in her caption. It was based on a series of articles written in the late '70s about the popularity of health clubs among single people. It ended up grossing $12.9million worldwide against a budget of $20million. Michael Che denied speculation is leaving Saturday Night Live after speculation he may pursue other opportunities. The 38-year-old comedian and actor took to his Instagram on Sunday night deny rumors he was leaving. 'I'm not leaving SNL,' he said, adding that he merely joked about it at a recent comedy show. The latest: Michael Che denied speculation is leaving Saturday Night Live after speculation he may pursue other opportunities. The 38-year-old comedian and actor took to his Instagram on Sunday night deny rumors he was leaving Michael joined SNL in 2013 as a guest writer before becoming a staff writer. He became a co-anchor of the Weekend Update in 2014, after Cecily Strong departed. The star joined Colin Jost as a co-anchor in September 2014 during season 40 of SNL. He made history as the first African-American co-anchor for Weekend Update, which was originally created in 1975 by Chevy Chase and Herb Sargent. Statement: 'I'm not leaving SNL,' he said, adding that he merely joked about it at a recent comedy show Star power: He became a co-anchor of the Weekend Update in 2014, after Cecily Strong departed. The star joined Colin Jost as a co-anchor in September 2014 during season 40 of SNL The star became a main cast member during season 42 and a co-head writer for the show in December 2017. Michael also pointed out that his exaggerated jokes and punchlines at his comedy shows were also not true as well. 'Those were just jokes as well,' he said on his Instagram. Last year, Michael had a comedy special called Michael Che: Shame the Devil on Netflix. Emily Atack was a golden goddess on Monday as she soaked up the spring sunshine during a new shoot. Closing her eyes for a sunny snap whilst her beloved pooch Penny sniffed at her feet, the actress emanated radiance as she posed in a striking fuchsia dress. In a follow-up photo shared to her Instagram grid, the Inbetweeners star, 32, threw a playful expression as Penny begged for her attention. Pretty in pink: Emily Atack basked in the spring sunshine wearing a fuchsia dress as she gave a behind-the-scenes peek of a new shoot on Monday Entertaining her 1.8million Instagram followers, Emily quipped: 'Penny was the runner on the shoot today. Didn't take her paws off the crisps. Slept in the sun. Clocked off early. Absolutely rubbish'. The comedian documented highlights from her exciting day on her Story, featuring Cavalier King Charles Penny once more. Whilst Emily was treated to a fresh blowdry, her pet perched contentedly on her lap, enjoying a head tickle from her doting owner. Dog lover: In a follow-up photo shared to her Instagram grid, the actress, 32, threw a playful expression as her beloved pooch Penny begged for her attention Stunning: The Inbetweeners star shared glowing selfies, sporting a flawless face of makeup including a blend of blush, a pop of matte lipstick and an application of smoky eye shadow Best friends: The comedian documented highlights from her exciting day on her Story, featuring Cavalier King Charles Penny once more Shoot: The London-based beauty treated her followers to a sneak peek of her surroundings as she panned her phone to show camera crew gathered around an impressive pool Close up videos and a glowing selfie emphasised the TV star's beauty, as she sported a flawless face of makeup including a blend of blush, a pop of matte lipstick and an application of smoky eye shadow. Emily wore her bright blonde tresses in a middle parting, with the ends coiffed in a loose wave. The London-based beauty treated her followers to a sneak peek of her surroundings as she panned her phone to show camera crew gathered around an impressive pool. Company: Emily entertained her 1.8million Instagram followers with a sarcastic caption Emily's shoot comes after Celebrity Juice returned for a brand new series last Thursday. And in a clip obtained by MailOnline ahead of the show airing, Emily revealed she's had sex five times in a week. The actress - who is one of the team captains on the panel show - indicated the number by holding up her hand, and admitting: 'four and a thumb.' Ukraine ready to exchange prisoners with Russia: Zelensky Xinhua) 09:47, March 28, 2022 KIEV, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country stands ready for an all-for-all prisoner exchange with Russia before the end of hostilities, the presidential press service reported. "I believe that there is an agreement to exchange everyone for everyone, we have this number -- let's exchange for this number," Zelensky said in an interview with Russian media. He also noted that Ukraine wants to hand over the corpses of Russian soldiers to their relatives. On Thursday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that Ukraine and Russia conducted the first prisoner swap since the start of the conflict. Ten Ukrainians held by the Russian military were released in exchange for ten Russian soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine also handed over to Russia 11 civilian Russian sailors, who were rescued from a sunken ship near Odesa, in exchange for 19 Ukrainian civilian sailors, according to Vereshchuk. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) An LNG-powered crude oil tanker constructed by Samsung Heavy Industries / Courtesy of Samsung Heavy Industries Delays in payments from Russia's ship owners could place Korean shipbuilders at disadvantage in competition with Chinese rivals By Kim Bo-eun HONG KONG Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has added to disruptions caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, has created increasing uncertainty for most industries, with shipbuilding one of them. South Korean and Chinese shipbuilders rank among the industry's top players, and as tensions are growing, the impact of the geopolitical decisions made in both Seoul and Beijing over the Ukraine crisis are starting to filter through. Firms in Korea face the risk of delayed payments from Russian owners as Seoul has supported sanctions banning major Russian banks from the Swift international payments network. Shipbuilders could also encounter problems in securing new contracts with Russian owners, as well as the growing competition from China, after Korea was listed as an "unfriendly" country by the Kremlin earlier this month. Moscow has indicated that firms in countries on the list would need to obtain its approval for business transactions. "Russia-linked orders are heavily focused on liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships from Korean yards, with Samsung Heavy Industries the most exposed," said Adam Kent, managing director at Maritime Strategies International. He did note that the immediate impact on the global shipping industry would likely be minimal, given ships linked to Russia account for only 2.5 percent of the global order book. Samsung Heavy Industries is reported to be delaying the delivery of two LNG carriers that are due this month. Reports also stated that the company has the largest backlog of orders from Russian entities among Korea's top three shipbuilders, totaling $5 billion. "Nothing has been decided as of yet with regards to the Russia situation," a Samsung Heavy Industries spokesman said. Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Samsung Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering are South Korea's main three shipbuilders, and they are reported to have contracts with Russian entities valued at around $6.5 billion, which includes LNG carriers and equipment. For contracts secured years earlier, shipbuilders have received initial and ongoing payments, with around 20 percent paid when the contract is signed. "It takes five to six years for carriers to be built and more than 60 percent of the payment is made when the carrier is delivered," said a spokeswoman with a Korean shipbuilder, who asked not to be named due to the sensitive nature of the situation. "For us, there is still a lot of time until we reach this stage for our contracts." Shipbuilders are also considering scenarios where Russian entities are unable to make payments should sanctions in response to the invasion be extended. "If this is the case, shipbuilders can look to other markets," the spokeswoman added. "We do not see the risks as being too great, but given we are unable to tell how the situation will unfold, we are closely monitoring related matters." Under the current situation, Korean shipbuilders are likely to delay the completion and delivery to Russian firms, given the payment risks. "Given [Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering] is building two LNG barges and three Arc7 LNG carriers for Russia, risks need to be checked," Daishin Securities analyst Lee Dong-heon said. "While the company has relatively greater competitiveness in LNG carrier-building technology, and has hit the trough when it comes to earnings, fuelling expectations for improvement in the mid-to long-term, it needs to improve its financial structure and check the situation relating to Russia." Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering's large crude oil tanker, top, and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering's LPG carrier / Courtesy of each company Kim Yang-taek, the executive vice president of SK Inc.'s Advanced Materials Investment Center, talks about future investment goals in the advanced materials sector. Screenshot from SK Inc.'s video By Kim Hyun-bin The global trend of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) is changing how local conglomerates hold their shareholders' meetings. Many listed companies are now more conscious of ESG values, and are increasing transparency in their business performance, governance structures and efforts to conduct general shareholders' meetings online so as to increase participation amid the pandemic. Last week, SK Inc. released a video of its performance in the advanced materials business sector ahead of a general shareholders' meeting scheduled for today to provide a vision to shareholders of what the company seeks to accomplish. The firm announced its goal of investing a total of 5.1 trillion won by 2025 in the semiconductor materials and battery materials businesses to become the globally leading high-tech materials company. In the video, Kim Yang-taek, head of SK Inc.'s Advanced Materials Investment Center, explained the performance and background of its subsidiaries, SK Siltron and SK Materials, as well as ongoing investments and industry prospects. "This video was designed to more easily share with shareholders the specific business results and plans according to the blueprint announced last year in a move to strengthen communication with them," a SK official explained. There is also a movement to systematize board activities and information disclosure to clarify governance and increase its transparency. SK Inc. completely revised its corporate governance charter recently, including specific details concerning the roles of the board of directors, operational plans and shareholder rights. The major change is to broaden the scope of communication with shareholders and stakeholders to fulfill ESG principles, and to mandate reporting the results of their activities to the board of directors. The governance committee under the board of directors of SK Inc. is composed of five outside directors, and has been engaged in discussions for four months to revise the corporate governance charter. In addition, SK Inc. is among the first major holding companies to introduce a board skills matrix. This matrix shows the varied professional skills and attributes of each member of the board of directors in the relevant business. In Korea, only a handful of companies have introduced board skills matrices, including SK Inc., KB Financial Group and KT&G, but they are expected to spread throughout the local business community along with the recent ESG boom, encouraging diversity among board members. "The changes to shareholders' meetings of Korean listed companies this year show that ESG is exerting great influence in Korea as well," a major conglomerate official said. Individual shareholders are calling for increased dividends, and many companies are announcing dividend hikes at their respective general shareholders meetings this year. According to the Corporate Data Research Center, two out of three domestic listed companies are set to increase their dividends this year. SK Inc. is set to announce its largest dividend payout at the general shareholders' meeting today, after the company decided at the end of 2021 to pay 8,000 won per share, including an interim dividend of 1,500 won per share. Hyundai Motor Company also raised its dividend per share from 3,000 won to 5,000 won this year, and major affiliates of LG Group also increased their dividends. LG Innotek raised its dividend per share to 3,000 won from 700 won, and LG Display, which succeeded in turning a profit of 2 trillion won, did not pay dividends in 2020, but plans to pay a dividend of 650 won per share. SsangYong Motor's headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of SsangYong Motor Edison's takeover deal falls through By Baek Byung-yeul Edison Motors' acquisition of SsangYong Motor has been scrapped, as SsangYong announced Monday that it has canceled the deal to sell its controlling stake to a consortium led by Edison. SsangYong said that Edison, a local electric bus maker, was supposed to pay 274.3 billion won ($223.8 million) to acquire the debt-ridden SUV maker by March 25, but it has failed to do so. Now, SsangYong is once again on the brink of liquidation and is expected to continue its ownerless management for the time being. A company spokesman said that SsangYong will look for a new buyer, push for a quick resale and submit a new rehabilitation plan to the court. "We believe that the conditions for the resale of the company have improved significantly compared to when the M&A process began in June 2021," the spokesman said. "We completed the development of our new model, the J100, and plan to release it in June. We also forged a strategic alliance with China's BYD so that we can release our U100 electric car in the second quarter of next year." However, some experts say it is better for SsangYong to file for bankruptcy than to stay in business. The company's debt has surpassed 700 billion won, and hundreds of billions of won are expected to be needed annually for the company to normalize operations and pursue new businesses such as producing electric vehicles (EVs). "After the deal with Edison broke down, SsangYong now has fewer options. The government also asked me for advice, but it is true that there is no proper way for the company to revive itself," said Kim Pil-soo, an automotive technology professor at Daelim University College. "The methods SsangYong can choose are to file for bankruptcy, have the government nationalize the company or find a better owner. Among these options, it would be best to go bankrupt because the company has lost its competence in the car industry, which is transitioning to EVs. On the other hand, if SsangYong goes bankrupt, Korea's car industry ecosystem could be severely damaged." There are views that the government may discuss ways to inject public funds into SsangYong to revive the debt-ridden firm. But it seems difficult for the government to decide to use public funds again, given that it is now the second time for the carmaker to be under court receivership, after 2009, when SAIC Motor of China, which was the major stakeholder at that time, relinquished its control of the carmaker. After being put under court receivership, the company was acquired by India's Mahindra & Mahindra. "It may be difficult for the government to provide more public support to SsangYong. Also, it would be a waste of taxpayers' money," the automotive technology professor said. Given that President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has emphasized his prioritization of the free market economy and believes in the market's capabilities to restructure companies by itself, chances are low that any more public funds will go into SsangYong. Kim Dae-jong, a professor in the School of Business at Sejong University, said that the president-elect will be faced with making a difficult decision about SsangYong because the entire ecosystem of subcontracted vendors responsible for the car industry may be saddled with hardships if SsangYong ends up going bankrupt. "Now, the issue of SsangYong has become a big headache for the new administration. It is highly likely to be a major concern for the incoming president. The larger problem is that there is no solution to this problem," the professor said. An official of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport speaks during a press briefing at the Sejong Government Complex, Monday. Yonhap HDC Hyundai Development Company President & CEO Yu Byoung-gyu Students at Suwon Yeonmu Elementary School in Gyeonggi Province participate in class using Samsung Electronics' IT devices, March 20. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics has been running its Samsung Smart School program, providing devices and software to elementary school students as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to boost digital literacy. Logo of Samsung Electronics / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics The tech company said it will bring this year's Samsung Smart School program to eight elementary schools and two special-education schools that need to build an environment for digital education. The Samsung Smart School initiative, which was started in 2012, bridges the digital education gap and improves the future capabilities of teenagers by providing its devices, educational content and training in schools that have relatively poor education environments. So far, the company has established the system in 98 schools and 193 classrooms nationwide. For this year's Samsung Smart School program, the company offered a larger number of IT devices and renewed its education program to increase practicality and narrow the digital education gap. The number of Samsung Smart School classes will increase from one to two per school. In each smart school classroom, there are three Samsung Flip displays, Galaxy Tab tablets and Galaxy Chromebook PCs. The program provides a variety of exclusive content, including existing lessons such as math, English and science, as well as software to help students learn through activities and games that enhance their digital identity, communication skills and digital literacy. For teachers taking part in the Samsung Smart School program, the company offers training programs twice a year to enhance their ability to utilize IT devices and educational content. Also, a group of trainees who have doctoral degrees in education visit the schools once a month to provide consulting on the overall operation of the Samsung Smart School classes and provide educational models suitable for each school. Students at Suwon Yeonmu Elementary School in Gyeonggi Province participate in class using Samsung Electronics' IT devices, March 20. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics A Ukrainian serviceman controls captured Russian tank, in Lukyanivka village that was just released from Russian troops, not far from Kyiv, March 27. EPA-Yonhap Ukraine said Sunday that Russia, whose troops have been slowly advancing towards the capital Kyiv, may aim to divide the country into versions of North and South Korea. Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defense Intelligence, said in a statement on social media that the strategy could result from President Vladimir Putin's failure to "capture Kyiv and remove Ukraine's government". "There are reasons to believe that he may try to impose a separation line between the occupied and unoccupied regions of our country. In fact, it will be an attempt to set up South and North Koreas in Ukraine," Budanov said. The two Koreas are still technically at war after a 1950-53 conflict ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, sealing the division of their peninsula with an impenetrable border. Ukrainian firefighters respond at fuel storage facilities in Lviv, Ukraine, hit by cruise missiles, March 27, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues. UPI-Yonhap Russian rockets struck the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, Saturday, while President Joe Biden visited neighboring Poland, a reminder that Moscow is willing to strike anywhere in Ukraine despite its claim to be focusing its offensive on the country's east. Back-to-back airstrikes shook the city that has become a haven for an estimated 200,000 people who have had to flee their hometowns. Lviv had been largely spared since the invasion began, although missiles struck an aircraft repair facility near the main airport a week ago. Among the many who sought refuge in Lviv was Olana Ukrainets, a 34-year-old IT worker from the northeastern city of Kharkiv. ''When I came to Lviv, I was sure that all these alarms wouldn't have any results,'' Ukrainets told The Associated Press from a bomb shelter after the blasts. ''Sometimes when I heard them at night, I just stayed in bed. Today, I changed my mind and I should hide every time. . None of the Ukrainian cities are safe now.'' The city was home to about 700,000 people before the invasion. Some who no longer feel safe here will head for nearby Poland. Biden met there Saturday with refugees in a show of solidarity, though he was in the capital, Warsaw, and far from the Ukrainian border, which is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of Lviv. Lviv also has become a humanitarian staging ground for Ukraine, and the attacks could further complicate the already challenging process of sending aid to the rest of the country. Vittoreo Zanon and Fatima Viveiros monitor soil gases in Rosais near Velas, Azores, Portugal, March 27. Reuters-Yonhap Fatima Viveiros was a little girl when she decided to become a volcanologist. It was a dream come true and now, at age 44, she is putting her skills to use to protect her home in Portugal's Azores islands. The lush mid-Atlantic volcanic island of Sao Jorge, where she grew up, has been rattled by more than 14,000 small earthquakes in the past seven days. Viveiros and other experts fear the tremors, which have reached a magnitude of up to 3.3 on the Richter scale, could trigger a volcanic eruption for the first time since 1808, or a powerful earthquake. "My home is located on an active volcanic system," said Viveiros, who works for the region's CIVISA seismo-volcanic surveillance center. "When (something happens) in our home we must be a little cold-blooded, so our feelings don't affect our thinking," she added. "But the feelings are there because it's my home, my people." Viveiros was carrying a yellow machine on her back to measure soil gases on Sao Jorge. Soil gases, such as carbon dioxide and sulphur, are indicators of volcanic activity, and Viveiros and her team have been battling Sao Jorge's rain and strong winds for days to dig for answers. So far, the levels remain normal. The island's sudden increase in seismic activity is reminiscent of the earthquakes detected before the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on Spain's La Palma island last year, some 1,400 km (870 miles) southeast of the Azores. Over 85 days, that eruption destroyed thousands of properties and crops. Viveiros, who travelled to La Palma at the time to support the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute and monitor soil gases there, said Sao Jorge's volcanic system was similar to the one on the Spanish island. "One of the possible scenarios on the table is that we see something similar to what happened in La Palma," she added. The last commercial flight of the day takes off from Sao Jorge Island amid small earthquakes that have been recorded in the Azores, Portugal, March 26. Reuters-Yonhap Spanish and other international teams of experts are prepared to travel to Sao Jorge if needed, Viveiros said. CIVISA raised the volcanic alert to Level 4, Wednesday, meaning there is a "real possibility" the volcano could erupt. Jose Bolieiro, the president of the Azores, which is an autonomous region of Portugal, said the number of earthquakes that hit Sao Jorge in recent days was double those recorded in the region as a whole last year. "There is clearly an abnormality," he told reporters. Although authorities have said an eruption was not imminent, around 1,500 people have left the island by air or sea in recent days. Many have no idea when they will be able to return. Arriving by helicopter, Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa visited Sao Jorge, Sunday, to attend a briefing about the situation and calm the local population. He also visited a historic tower that survived the 1808 eruption. Late Sunday, Rebelo de Sousa interacted with locals in Calheta, a town on the eastern part of the island where people have sought safety. Most of the seismic activity has been in the western side of Sao Jorge. He drank a traditional Azorean spirit, kissed and hugged members of the crowd and took selfies with them. Dozens of soldiers have been mobilized to Sao Jorge where they are staying in large tents with beds that could accommodate 100 people in the case of an evacuation. Sao Jorge's municipalities also have transformed various facilities into temporary reception centers. As soldiers worked behind him, Major Rodolfo Romeiro told Reuters more resources would be sent to the island next week. "Our mission is to help the population," Romeiro said. "In these situations the motivation (of the armed forces) is even greater." (Reuters) In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during an interview with independent Russian news media from Kyiv, Ukraine, Mar. 27. AP-Yonhap Ukraine could declare neutrality and offer security guarantees to Russia to secure peace ''without delay,'' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said ahead of another planned round of talks _ though he said only a face-to-face meeting with Russia's leader could end the war. In an interview with independent Russian media outlets, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine's priority is ensuring its sovereignty and its "territorial integrity" preventing Russia from carving up the country, something Ukraine and the West say could now be Moscow's goal. But, Zelenskyy added: "Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state _ we are ready to go for it." The Ukrainian leader has suggested as much before, but rarely so forcefully and the latest remarks come as the two sides said talks would resume Tuesday. Russia has long demanded that Ukraine drop any hope of joining the western NATO alliance, which Moscow sees as a threat. Zelenskyy said that the question of neutrality, which would keep Ukraine out of NATO or other military alliances, should be put to Ukrainian voters in a referendum after Russian troops withdraw. Zelenskyy has also long stressed that Ukraine needs security guarantees of its own as part of any deal. "We must come to an agreement with the president of the Russian Federation, and in order to reach an agreement, he needs to get out of there on his own feet ... and come to meet me," he also said in an interview that Russia barred its media from publishing. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that the two presidents could meet, but only after the key elements of a potential deal are negotiated. "The meeting is necessary once we have clarity regarding solutions on all key issues," Lavrov said in an interview with Serbian media. He accused Ukraine of only wanting to "imitate talks," but said Russia needed concrete results. In an overnight video address to his nation, Zelenskyy said Ukraine sought peace "without delay" in talks due to get underway in Istanbul. That location was agreed after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, the Turkish leader's office said. Negotiators are expected to arrive Monday. Earlier talks, both by video and in person, have failed to make progress on ending a more than month-old war that has killed thousands and driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes including almost 4 million from their country. With Russia's offensive stalled in many areas, its troops have resorted to pummeling Ukrainian towns and cities with rockets and artillery in a grinding war of attrition. Fierce fighting has raged on the outskirts of Kyiv, but Russian troops remain miles from the city center, their aim of quickly encircling the capital faltering In Stoyanka village near Kyiv, Ukrainian soldier Serhiy Udod said Russian troops had taken up defensive positions and suffered heavy losses. He said "probably they thought it would be like Crimea," which Russia annexed in 2014. "But, here it's not like in Crimea. We are not happy to see them. Here they suffer and get killed." A fiercer than expected Ukrainian resistance _ bolstered by weapons from the U.S. and other Western allies has been credited with bogging Russian forces down. But Zelenskyy has made increasingly exasperated pleas for Western countries to do more, including sending fighter jets, accusing political leaders on Sunday of lacking courage. Countries from the NATO alliance have been hesitant to give Zelenskyy some of the more powerful equipment he's begged for, for fear of triggering a much wider war. In fact, Russia's invasion has most Americans at least somewhat worried that the U.S. will be drawn directly into the conflict and could be targeted with nuclear weapons, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It shows a level of anxiety echoing the Cold War era. Moscow now says its focus is on securing the entire eastern Donbas region, which has been partially controlled by Russia-backed separatists since 2014. A high-ranking Russian military official on Friday said that troops were being redirected to the east from other parts of the country. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, accused Russia of seeking to split Ukraine in two, making the comparison to North and South Korea. "The occupiers will try to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine," Budanov said in a statement released by the Defense Ministry. He predicted that guerrilla warfare by Ukrainians would derail such plans. Meanwhile, Ukraine has banned reporting on troop and equipment movements not announced or approved by the military. Journalists who violate the law could face three to eight years in prison. The law does not differentiate between Ukrainian and foreign reporters. (AP) Philippines Military Chief of Staff General Andres Centino of the Philippine Army speaks during opening ceremonies of the "Balikatan" or "Shoulder to Shoulder" joint military exercises at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon city, Philippines, March 28. Thousands of American and Filipino forces began one of their largest combat exercises in years Monday that will include live-fire training, urban assaults, amphibious landing and coastal defense in the northern Philippine region near its sea border with Taiwan. AP-Yonhap The Philippines and the United States launched their largest-ever joint military exercises in the archipelago nation Monday, signaling deepening defense ties as fresh tensions surface in the disputed South China Sea. The war games are the last under outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, who previously threatened to cancel drills and axe a key military deal with longtime ally the United States as he pivoted towards China. Nearly 9,000 Filipino and American soldiers will take part in the 12-day training event across the main island of Luzon, which is usually an annual affair but was cancelled or curtailed during the pandemic. Philippine military chief General Andres Centino said at the opening ceremony in Manila that the largest round of the Balikatan war games reflected the "deepening alliance" between the two countries. U.S. Major General Jay Bargeron said the "friendship and trust" between their respective armed forces would allow them to "succeed together across the entire spectrum of military operations." The exercises will cover maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire training, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Recent maneuvers between the two countries focused on potential conflict in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety. Since taking power in 2016 Duterte has moved closer to China, but has faced pushback from the Philippine public and concern in a military wary of Beijing's territorial ambitions in the waters. Trillions of dollars in trade pass through the strategic sea and it is thought to contain rich petroleum deposits, making it a frequent source of regional friction. China has ignored a 2016 ruling by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration that its historical claim is without basis. It has reinforced its stance by building artificial islands over some contested reefs and installing weapons on them. The future of the war games was thrown into doubt after Duterte said in February 2020 he planned to axe the Visiting Forces Agreement, which provides the legal framework for the U.S. to hold joint military exercises and operations in the Philippines. But he walked back on the decision last July, as tensions between Manila and Beijing over the South China Sea spiked following the detection of hundreds of Chinese boats parked at a reef off the Philippines. On the eve of the joint drills, the Philippine Coast Guard accused its Chinese counterpart of steering one of its ships within meters of a Filipino patrol boat near the disputed Scarborough Shoal a flashpoint between the two countries. That came weeks after Manila confronted Beijing's ambassador over a Chinese navy ship "lingering" in the Philippines' archipelagic waters. The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to media requests for comment on the war games or the Scarborough Shoal incident. The exercises are being held in the shadow of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. and its allies are providing defensive weapons to Kyiv and imposing crippling economic sanctions on Moscow. Duterte, whose six-year term ends in June, has expressed concern that the Philippines was "involved" in the conflict because of its security alliance with the United States. That includes a mutual defense treaty and permission for the U.S. military to store defense equipment and supplies on several Philippine bases. (AFP) Internet, digital technologies inject renewed vitality into intangible cultural heritage People's Daily Online) 10:52, March 28, 2022 Huang Yangwei, a 24-year-old man in south Chinas Hainan Province, works on a Li brocade product together with his grandmother. The Li brocade, a traditional craft of the Li ethnic group in Hainan, is a national intangible cultural heritage item. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) Internet and digital technologies have enabled inheritors of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in China to attract more public attention towards ICH-related products as well as boosting their consumption, permitting these inheritors to win respect from people for their wisdom and craftsmanship, in addition to showcasing the charms of Chinese cultural heritage, providing more options for protecting and inheriting ICH and propelling the innovative development of ICH-related products. Yao Huifen, an inheritor of Suzhou embroidery, an item on the national ICH list, opened an account on the popular short-video sharing platform Douyin, also known as Tik Tok overseas, in October 2020 in order to show off her expertise in the traditional craft. To date, Yao has already accumulated 150,000 followers on the platform. One of her videos introducing an embroidery technique has garnered more than 1.4 million likes. Suzhou embroidery is so elegant and exquisite, praised one online user after watching the video. Yao explained that netizens across the country commented under her videos that they would like to also have the chance to learn embroidery skills themselves. Pointing out that these kinds of videos can help present the most attractive features of ICH in a comparably shorter period of time, experts have commented that such new technologies and platforms are assisting with the promotion of ICH and enabling more and more people to appreciate the charms of traditional Chinese handicrafts. Liu Kuili, an honorary academician at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that digital solutions and new technologies are necessary to better promote and inherit ICH. Experts have said that more priority should be given to integrating ICH items into modern-day life, showcasing their current value, and turning them into a golden key to bring more and more growth in the incomes of those engaged in such trades. Internet platforms have continued to play a significant role in this regard. Qiao Xue, an inheritor of handmade leather art, an item on the ICH list for Yinchuan city in northwest Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, opened an account on a short-video sharing platform to showcase her expertise in leather carving. Qiao has hosted over 100 live-streaming shows on the platform, selling more than 3 million yuan (about $471,120) worth of handmade leather products. Fully displaying ICH-related craftsmanship through Internet platforms can boost the sales of relevant products and encourage ICH brands to develop products that conform to a kind of consumption demand that is becoming increasingly more diversified and personalized, thus creating a virtuous circle for the production and consumption of ICH products. Yin Jun, dean of the Art College of Chongqing Technology and Business University in southwest Chinas Chongqing, said leveraging the Internet and digital technologies to promote the inheritance and innovative development of ICH products is an irresistible trend and can help meet the ever-growing intellectual and cultural consumption demands of people, inject new vitality into ICH items and generate additional incomes for ICH inheritors. At present, multiple short-video sharing platforms and e-commerce platforms have been making significant strides to promote traditional Chinese culture, allowing increasingly more people to appreciate the charms of and boost their interest in intangible cultural heritage. Douyin, for instance, has launched programs aimed at better promoting ICH products, which not only has attracted more people to pay attention to ICH but has also generated more job opportunities and higher incomes for ICH inheritors. The integration of the Internet and digital technologies has created more possibilities for ICH development and new media technologies are expanding the space for further ICH inheritance and development, observed Wang Yanlong, a professor with the College of Literature and Journalism of Sichuan University in Chengdu, capital of southwest Chinas Sichuan Province. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Members of a female robotics team arrive from Herat Province to receive visas from the U.S. Embassy, at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, in this July 13, 2017, file photo. Afghanistan's Taliban rulers refused to allow dozens of women to board several flights, including some overseas, because they were traveling without a male guardian, two Afghan airline officials said March 26. AP-Yonhap The Taliban have ordered airlines in Afghanistan to stop women from boarding flights unless they are accompanied by a male relative, aviation officials told AFP. The latest restriction on women follows Wednesday's shutdown of all girls' secondary schools just hours after they were allowed to reopen for the first time since the hardline Islamists seized power in August. Two officials from Afghanistan's Ariana Afghan airline and Kam Air said late Sunday that the Taliban had ordered them to stop boarding women if they were travelling alone. The decision was taken after a meeting on Thursday between representatives of the Taliban, the two airlines and airport immigration authorities, the officials told AFP, asking not to be named. Since the Taliban's return to power, many curbs on women's freedoms have been reintroduced often implemented locally at the whim of regional officials from the Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The ministry said it had not issued any directive banning women from taking flights alone. But a letter issued by a senior official of Ariana Afghan to the airline's staff after the meeting with the Taliban, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, confirmed the new measure. "No women are allowed to fly on any domestic or international flights without a male relative," the letter said. Two travel agents AFP contacted also confirmed they had stopped issuing tickets to solo women travelers. "Some women who were travelling without a male relative were not allowed to board a Kam Air flight from Kabul to Islamabad on Friday," a passenger who was on that flight told AFP. An Afghan woman with a U.S. passport was also not allowed to board a flight to Dubai, Friday, another source said. The Taliban have already banned inter-city road trips for women travelling alone, but until now they were free to take flights. The Taliban have promised a softer version of the harsh Islamist rule that characterized their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001. But since August, they have rolled back two decades of gains made by Afghanistan's women. Women have been squeezed out of most government jobs and secondary school education, as well as ordered to dress according to a strict interpretation of the Koran. Tens of thousands of girls flocked back to class Wednesday after schools reopened, but officials ordered them home just hours into the day, triggering international outrage. Authorities have still not given a clear reason for the policy reversal. (AFP) For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website at ladowntownnews.com/site/privacy.html By clicking to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. 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 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. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Maple Spring, which represents the largest mass movement in the history of Quebec. This student strike mobilized hundreds of thousands of students before becoming a broader movement, which brought down the hated government of Jean Charest. This picture stands in stark contrast to the sorry state of the student movement in recent years. As strike votes unravel on various campuses in Quebec, it is important to return to the militant and revolutionary traditions of the Quebec student movement. In order to win future struggles, student activists must study the history of the Maple Spring, and learn from it. The 2010s: Austerity and class struggle To understand the 2012 student strike, we need to put it in context. The 2012 movement took place in a period of austerity. Already before 2012, the governments of Lucien Bouchard, Bernard Landry and then Jean Charest had imposed severe cuts in public services. The Quebec capitalist class had seen the economy lag for years, and wanted to make Quebec more competitive on the world stage. This desire of the ruling class had been put down on paper in 2005 by Lucien Bouchard and other personalities in a veritable manifesto for austerity entitled Pour un Quebec lucide (For a clear-eyed vision of Quebec). In it, they called for a reduction in the public debt and a lifting of the freeze on tuition fees. Then came the great global recession of 2008-2009, the worst crisis of capitalism since the 1929 crash. This crisis worsened the problems of Quebec capitalism. The Quebec government was in debt, and the economy was stagnating. The Quebec bosses were determined to pass on the bill for the crisis to the workers. Raymond Bachand, finance minister under the Liberal government of Jean Charest, called for a cultural revolution and said that people should get used to paying more for public services. Fees for a series of public services were raised. Quebec capitalism could no longer afford to provide so many public services to workers and poor people. In 2010, the Charest government had succeeded in shoving a rotten deal down the throats of the common front of public service unions. Its next target was students. Tuition fees in Quebec are the lowest in North America and this was even more the case at the time, when they were frozen at $2,519 a year. This was intolerable for the ruling class. Charests government had already tried to attack the student movement once in 2005, but the movement forced him to back off after a six-week strike. The legendary fighting spirit of the Quebec student movement was the reason for the low tuition fees, as it had also staged major strikes in 1968, 1974, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1990, and 1996. In 2010, the government of Charest (pictured) succeeded in shoving a rotten deal down the throats of the public sector workers. Next he came for the students, with an attempted tuition fee hike in 2011 / Image: Letartean Then in 2011, the Charest government announced an increase in annual university tuition fees of $1,625 over five years, a 75 percent increase. Hypocritically, Charest called on students to pay their juste part (fair share). In doing so, he unleashed an anger that he did not expect. In the streets, students began shouting Charest : juste pars! (Charest: just leave!). Already, the planet was being shaken by revolts and mass movements. There were the 2010 G20 riots in Toronto, Occupy Wall Street, the Indignados in Spain, the Chilean student movement of 2011, the Arab Spring (the revolutions in the Arab world in 2011), etc. The youth, who had entered adulthood in a period of capitalist crisis, saw that this system had nothing good to offer them. They were rising up against austerity, unemployment, and inequality, in one country after another. It is in this context of a global youth uprising that we must understand 2012. This connection between the Quebec student movement and the broader youth struggle against the system was understood at the time. In LUltimatum, the newspaper of the Association pour une solidarite syndicale etudiante (ASSE), Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, now an elected MNA for the left-wing Quebec solidaire party, wrote in August 2011: All over the world, in Spain, in Italy, in Greece, in Portugal, in Great Britain, in Syria, in Egypt or Tunisia, the people are revolting to claim what is theirs.After the Arab spring, will we witness a Quebecois spring? It then went on to state The response from ASSE is categorical: we must. This semester will begin with a massive mobilization on all campuses in Quebec. More and more we hear, in the corridors of colleges and universities, a whisper, like a rumor, three letters, always the same three: GGI. This rumor, since last spring, has become more and more insistent. GGI: Unlimited General Strike (Greve Generale Illimitee) Given the magnitude of this challenge, no hesitation can be permitted. We need to mobilize ourselves right now, in great numbers and with great determination. It is up to us. Capitalist governments around the world had been trying to pass on the bill for the economic crisis to workers, to the poor, to youth. The response of Quebec students was a resounding No! The need for leadership To understand how such a strong response was possible, we must look at the role of leadership. The student leadership at the time was bold in its ideas and rhetoric, and it was organized. It was clear that the struggle went beyond the issue of tuition and even free education, which was one of the central demands of the movement. In fact, it was clear that the movement was against the whole system, against the capitalists and their austerity plans. ASSE, the spearhead of the 2012 strike, claimed to want to create a real counter-power to the capitalist state and the financial lobbies that use their privileged status to illegitimately control political decisions. Here is how Nadeau-Dubois, then spokesperson for ASSE, explained the stakes: Because lets not forget; the people who want to raise tuition fees, the people who want to cut public services, the people who want to privatize health care, the people who want to reduce, even abolish government regulations on the environment, the people who despise womens rights, aboriginal rights, the rights of all minorities, the people who have been working hard for decades to suppress the right of workers to associate, all of these people are the same. These people are few in number, these people control everything and always want to control more, these people have common interests, these people have a common political project. There was a time in Quebec, in Canada, not so long ago, that a minority like that which controls the political and economic institutions of a country, which shares common interests, not so long ago we called that a class, and we must stop being afraid of words. We have to call these people by their name; these people are the dominant class, these people are the bourgeoisie. The struggle against tuition hikes, the struggle of indignant people around the world, must be called by its name. It is a class struggle. A struggle of the [] possessing minority against the majority who have nothing. A gluttonous and vulgar minority, a minority that sees life only as a business opportunity, a tree only as raw material and a child only as a future employee. [] When we protest the tuition hike, we will also be protesting this. Young Gabriel would have a lot to teach his older self. This ability to link the immediate issues of the strike to a broader radical program of struggle against the capitalist system, its state, and its policies was a huge strength of the student movement at the time. While fighting a frontal attack with immediate consequences for hundreds of thousands of university students, students quickly saw that they were part of a much larger struggle, and this gave them the will to defy police violence, the risk of arrest, and media slander. But student leaders also understood that they could not take for granted that students would automatically agree with their ideas. There is sometimes a disdain for leadership on the leftand particularly in the student movement. Leadership is inherently suspect, seen as authoritarian, to be banned. But every organization necessarily has leadership. Not everyone can and will speak up in a general assembly. Some people have initiatives and ideas, and others are looking for ideas. An organization that refuses to have elected official leadership will inevitably be led by unelected informal leaders. In 2011, a minority of people (often anarchists, by the way) came up with the idea of a strike and developed a plan to make it happen. So they rolled up their sleeves, and worked to convince a majority of students to join. They played an excellent leadership role. In March 2011, the Charest government announced a $1,625 tuition increase. The leaders of ASSE, which at the time included about 40,000 students from dozens of student unions, responded by preparing for a strike. In late 2011, several student associations temporarily joined them, forming the 100,000-member Broad Coalition of ASSE (CLASSE). During 2011, these activists went from class to class in the universities and CEGEPs (public colleges) to explain the strike and its issues, distributed leaflets and flyers as well as their newspaper LUltimatum, spoke at student assemblies, organized demonstrations, etc. They denounced the tuition fee increases, as well as the general austerity, and patiently convinced their colleagues of the necessity of the strike. Throughout the months of February and March, strike votes were held in universities and CEGEPs. These were initially led by student unions affiliated with the more radical CLASSE, but they were joined by the Federation etudiante universitaire du Quebec (FEUQ) and the Federation etudiante collegiale du Quebec (FECQ), as well as the smaller Table de concertation etudiante du Quebec (TaCEQ). CLASSE represented the left wing of the movement, with direct democratic structures and traditions of fighting unionism and combative leadership. The more bureaucratic and moderate FECQ and FEUQ always lagged behind CLASSE. During 2011 and until the beginning of the strike, they were reluctant to strike, but the FEUQ/FECQ leaders were unable to contain the energy of the rank and file, who pushed them to strike under the impetus of the CLASSE. The movement quickly snowballed in 2012. On Feb. 27, 65,000 students were on strike. By March 5, they had reached 123,000. At its peak, on March 22, 300,000 out of 400,000 Quebec post-secondary students were on strike. Some high schools even joined the strike for a day to participate in the huge March 22 demonstration, which brought together between 100,000 and 200,000 people in downtown Montreal. This huge gathering showed everyoneand above all to the students themselvesthe collective power of the students and the masses in general. However, it would be ridiculous to imagine that the CLASSE leaders managed to get 300,000 students to rise up by their work on the ground alone. Here, we must understand the relationship between leadership and spontaneity. It would be a mistake to deny the importance of spontaneity. It is impossible to simply decree a mass movement. The will to fight and wide-scale anger must already exist. In this sense, while it was the CLASSE that organized the 2012 strike, it was Jean Charest who started it. His brutal tuition hike was like a match thrown onto the pool of gasoline of a youth just waiting to be provoked into action. While mass movements can arise spontaneously, for them to be more than a flash in the pan and lead to victory, they must be organized. The revolutionary Leon Trotsky explains it this way: Without a guiding organization, the energy of the masses would dissipate like steam not enclosed in a piston-box. But nevertheless what moves things is not the piston or the box, but the steam. The 2012 strike witnessed a surge of creativity and initiative the likes of which we rarely see. Whether it was the picketing tactics, the artistic creations, the varied demonstrations (who doesnt remember the naked demonstrations?), everything was seen and hundreds of thousands of people put their spin on the movement. But it took preparation and organization to get there. Thats the role that student leaders, and particularly CLASSE, played. Through their leadership, they created the space for a movement mobilizing thousands of politicized people overnight. Contrary to what some may believe, it is not either leadership or spontaneity. Rather, good leadership will create the conditions for the masses of people to take the movement directly into their own hands. Rank-and-file democracy At the beginning, the government put its head in the sand and tried to ignore the movement. They refused to meet with the student leaders to negotiate. But as the weeks went by, the strike held firm. In cases where an entire institution was on strike, student associations organized picket lines and blocked the doors of the university or college. In cases where only certain student associations voted for a strike, flying picket squads were mobilized to go lift a class, that is to say to go from one class to another and apply the democratic decision of the students by preventing the class from being held by blocking the door or by making noise. Week to week, the strike votes were renewed. Here, the role of student democracy is important to grasp. Students had democratic control over their strike, through their weekly general assemblies. Students debated the question of renewing the strike, but also all sorts of questions and issues related to the strike, took positions, granted mandates, elected committees, and so on. These general assemblies, often long and tedious, were also a strength for the movement, in that they allowed students to take ownership of their strike. It is true that some student associations were organized in a more or less democratic way. The CLASSE in particular prided itself on its direct democracy compared to the more bureaucratic structures of the FECQ and FEUQ. It is not our intention to discuss here the pros and cons of the different ways of organizing a student union. But what must be emphasized is that it is necessary to give students democratic control over their strike in order for them to take ownership and mobilize en masse. This democratic character also allowed the immense creativity of the students to be deployed. The state One of the important lessons students of 2012 was the nature of the state. From an early age, we are fed the myth that we live in a democracy and that the state is neutral, serves the people, etc. But for the generation of students who lived through 2012, these illusions were shattered by the batons of the police. The state, far from being neutral, is at the service of the rich and powerful. Those who do not move do not feel their chains, Rosa Luxemburg said. When the student movement began, these chains became visible. The government, realizing that it could not simply ignore the movement, unleashed a wave of violent repression. Baton blows, stun grenades, pepper spray, and tear gas, and the firing of non-lethal bullets caused countless injuries, many of them serious. On March 7, the Montreal police attacked demonstrators and wounded a student, Francis Grenier, who lost an eye. These eight months of the strike were a real outlet for the police, an orgy of police brutality and arrests. The courts rained down injunctions in an attempt to prevent the students from implementing their democratic decision to strike. During the summer, the Montreal police even began to randomly detain and search people wearing the red square, the symbol of the student movement. Above all, the 2012 movement taught the students about the real role of the capitalist state. They were on the receiving end of brutal repression. Students could even be arrested for wearing the red square, the iconic symbol of the movement / Image: Chicoutimi The arrests became so systematic that, for the sake of efficiency, the police began to arrest demonstrators by the dozens and even by the hundreds. Before each demonstration, dozens of buses were chartered to transport the students who were to be arrested. The police developed the kettling technique: a contingent of police armed with shields and batons, some of them on horseback, charged into the crowd, divided the demonstrators and surrounded a few dozen trapped students, who were handcuffed and put on buses. During the course of the protests, police officers would hand out thousands of fines and arrest 3,499 people, and paramedics would respond 174 times. This made it the largest mass arrest during a conflict in Canadian history. This brutal treatment of students seeking to protect the accessibility and quality of education stands in stark contrast to the complacency and cordiality with which the police treated the so-called Freedom Convoy this winter. It is incredible that a few hundred demonstrators were able to blockade the downtown core of Canadas capital for weeks and even prevent Parliament from sitting, with little police response. But the demands of the convoy did not threaten the interests of the ruling class. On the contrary, the ruling class also wanted to put an end to health and safety measures, so that they could move on and restart the profit machine. This right-wing movement impatiently demanded what the ruling class cautiously sought to do. In addition, a large part of the police force sympathized with the movement. This explains the slow reaction of the government, and the complacency of the police. The students in 2012, on the other hand, were putting the whole capitalist system in danger. The capitalists had to make the workers and the youth pay for the crisis. A capitulation to the students would have shown the working class that it is possible to resist austerity. CLASSE spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois was found in contempt of court for encouraging students to disobey injunctions against blocking access to classes. Union leaders today dont have a tenth of the courage that student leaders had back then. Despite the risk of injury, arrest, and prosecution, students stood their ground and continued to take to the streets. They discovered courage not often seen on the left anymore. They became aware of their collective strength. Plan Nord On the weekend of April 20, the Plan Nord conference was being held at the Palais des Congres in Montreal. This meeting aimed to attract investors, including mining companies, to exploit the territory of northern Quebec. Considering that Quebec is known for its ridiculously low mining royalties, this Plan Nord amounted to selling the natural resources of Quebecs northern regions at a discount. The Surete du Quebec (provincial police force) were brought in to reinforce the SPVM (Montreal police), in order to contain the thousands of demonstrators outside, who were chanting No to free mining! Yes to free education. ( Non a la gratuite miniere! Oui a la gratuite scolaire! ) Outside the Palais des Congres, the crowd pushed back the police, who struggled to prevent them from entering the building. Allies of the demonstrators, well dressed to look like bourgeois, managed to enter the building without arousing suspicion and opened side doors to let the crowd in. Soon, the police had to retreat inside the Palais des Congres and re-establish a line of defense at the top of the stairs as the crowd tried to climb. Inside, Jean Charest, in front of an audience of respectable high society people, found the situation comical: The Plan Nord conference, which we are going to open today, is already very popular; people are running from everywhere to get in [] To those who knocked on our door this morning, we could offer them a jobin the North if possible. The slogan Charest get out! Well find you a job in the North ( Charest dehors! On va ttrouver une job dans lnord! ) would become a favorite of the protesters. These events marked a fundamental shift. The movement began to realize its strength. Normally, the capitalists and their governments make all real decisions about our fate, and the fate of the economy and the land, behind closed doors. But the masses had entered the scene of history and were disturbing the plans of the bourgeoisie. The demonstrators succeeded in pushing back the police on several occasions. A famous photo from that weekend shows a group of visibly terrified police officers running from the angry crowd. The Plan Nord protests left several people injured, including 10 police officers. Stones were thrown and windows smashed. In reaction, the media and politicians serving the ruling class raised an outcry about the violence, which they obviously attributed entirely to the demonstrators. But the violence of protesters throughout 2012 was very limited compared to the brazen and almost always unprovoked attacks by the police. Many students would lose an eye or have their skulls smashed by a baton, a non-lethal bullet, or a stun grenade thrown directly into the crowd. But the state cannot accept any challenge to its authority. It can injure and kill with impunity, but let the workers and the oppressed not dare to raise their fists in defense! The media used the events at the Salon Plan Nord to portray the students as dangerous thugs. The violence (of the demonstrators, never of the police) got all their attention. Every broken window was portrayed as an act of violence. Student leaders were invited to join the chorus of denunciations. The leaders of the FECQ and the FEUQ, always seeking to please the establishment, agreed to fall in line and condemn the violence. They thus played into the hands of the ruling class and implicitly gave credibility to the discourse that placed the responsibility for the violence on the students. Moreover, Charest never condemned the much more serious violence of state forces. But the CLASSE saw through the governments game, and refused to condemn the violence. Negotiations On Sunday, April 22, a huge demonstration was held in Montreal on the occasion of Earth Day. According to the organizers, 250,000 people attended, including large contingents of students. In the context of the strike, everyone understood this demonstration as a big thumbs-down to the Liberal government, whose policies in favour of mining and oil companies were as hated as those on education. On April 23, the government had to face the fact that it could not wear the students down and tried a new tactic. It agreed to negotiate, but excluded the CLASSE from the negotiations. Minister of Education Line Beauchamp made it a condition of the negotiations that the students respect a truce of a few days. The same evening, acts of vandalism were committed during a demonstration in Montreal. The government used this as a pretext to exclude the CLASSE from the negotiations, claiming that it was responsible for breaking the truce because the demonstration had been publicized on its website. The government said that they would not negotiate with a group that incites violence. Their game was clear and represented a classic negotiating tactic: divide and rule. Charest believed he could negotiate with the two moderate unions and force them to swallow a phony agreement, which would then leave the CLASSE isolated and weaker. The exclusion of the CLASSE from the negotiations triggered the anger of the students, who immediately launched the tradition of night demonstrations. The new slogan became Demonstrate, every night, until victory. ( Manif, chaque soir, jusqua la victoire! .) These spontaneous night demonstrations gathered several thousand people in downtown Montreal every night for more than 100 days in a row. Under the pressure of the movement, and seeing the immense popularity of the CLASSE among students, the leaders of the FECQ and the FEUQ did not fall into the trap set by the government and remained in solidarity with the rest of the movement. They refused to negotiate without the presence of the CLASSE. They understood that if they accepted an agreement without the CLASSEwhich represented the heart and soul of the strikethis agreement would probably be rejected in the general assemblies and they would be discredited. The government then tried to take the negotiations to the public arena and presented a ridiculous offer at a press conference: a meager improvement in bursaries and an increase of $1,785 over seven years, rather than the $1,625 over five years that had been planned. Needless to say, this offer was rejected. The battle of Victoriaville The picture presented so far may give the impression that the movement was limited to Montreal. In reality, it spread throughout Quebec, with campuses on strike in Quebec City, Gaspe, Rimouski, Matane, and even the Magdalen Islands. In Gatineau, the Universite du Quebec en Outaouais was the scene of three days of clashes as students barricaded themselves inside and police laid siege to the university. And the most violent confrontation of the entire Maple Spring did not take place in Montreal. The Quebec Liberal Party convention was scheduled to take place in Montreal from May 4 to 6. But fearing disruption by demonstrators, it was moved to the small town of Victoriaville. In response, student associations and other left-wing groups called for demonstrations in Victoriaville, and rented buses to transport demonstrators there. On 4 May 2012, the town of Victoriaville was turned into a battlefield / Image: Simon Villeneuve On the evening of May 4, a demonstration of 3,000 people around the Victoriaville convention center quickly turned into a riot. The small town turned into a battlefield. Tear gas spread everywhere. The Surete du Quebec fired dozens of rubber bullets into the crowd, seriously injuring three people, including one who lost an eye, one who lost six teeth and another who lost the hearing in one ear. Meanwhile, Jean Charest, safely inside the building, promised that he would maintain his tuition increase. The same evening, in Quebec City, a second round of negotiations took place, but this time the government did not succeed in excluding the CLASSE representatives. To soften up the CLASSE leaders, Jean Charest invited the presidents of the major labour organizations to the negotiating table. He was well aware that these regulars of labour-management negotiations had lost their teeth a long time ago. Capitulation and conciliation is their modus operandi. They were going to teach the young and inexperienced how negotiations are conducted. Michel Arsenault, president of the FTQ (Federation des travailleurs et travailleuses du Quebec) at the time, later recounted: I explained to them that negotiating is conceding. It takes a balance of power that you draw from mobilization. I call it perching the cat on the pole. But at some point, you have to bring the cat down. The concessions were indeed major. On May 5, after 22 hours of negotiations, all parties reached an agreement in principle. Charest presented it as a victory for the government. The agreement provided for the increase to be maintained, but with a reduction in ancillary fees to compensate for the increase, which would be financed by cuts in university spending. These cuts would be determined by a committee made up of representatives of the rectors, student federations, the business community, and unions, among others. Already, the agreement in this form represented a capitulation. But it quickly became clear that the government had deceived the student negotiators. The government claimed that the increase in tuition fees would not necessarily be offset by a decrease in ancillary fees, contrary to what the student side had understood. The students had agreed that the text would not mention tuition fees, but that there would be a verbal agreement to discuss this issue later. The very next day, the government broke this verbal agreement. Furthermore, according to the CLASSE negotiating team, the government changed the document at the last minute without the students knowledge, so that the CLASSE negotiator signed a different document than what had been agreed upon. Here we clearly see the kind of dishonesty that always characterizes negotiations with the bosses and their representatives in government. Union leaders, accustomed to conciliation, often appeal to the good faith of the bosses. However, in class conflicts, like collective bargaining and the 2012 student strike, the diametrically opposed interests of the parties mean that the bad faith of the bosses must be taken for granted. As in any war, the opponent never has good intentions, and his word cannot be trusted. But the naive mistakes of the student negotiators were held in check by the masses themselves. The strength of a mass movement lies in the democratic control exercised by the masses which acts as a safeguard against the mistakes of the leadership. Under the present bourgeois parliamentary system, workers and students of modest origin simply have no say in the running of society. Decisions are made behind closed doors by the representatives of the bosses. Our only right is to choose which of the bosses representatives will laugh at us in parliaments. In a strike, those thousands of people who usually cannot participate in political life suddenly become active. This bad and dishonest deal triggered the students anger. On May 6, the 13th nightly demonstration in a row took place under the theme Against the governments lousy offer: freeze or die! Across Quebec, student associations met in general assemblies during the week to decide whether to accept the agreement. Thousands of students crammed into large halls in universities and colleges and debated for hours. Their verdict was overwhelming: rejection of the rotten agreement. The students voted to renew the strike. The students revealed the power of a broad-based democracy that allows for the active participation of people usually excluded from political life. This is the kind of democracy that socialists stand for, and the kind of democracy that the student movement needs today to win. The government was completely humiliated. Education Minister Beauchamp resigned on May 14. In the student camp, there was jubilation. But, as we would later learn, Minister Beauchamp represented the moderate wing of the government. Her departure meant a hardening of the governments line. After attempting conciliation, the government definitively turned to repression. This led to the adoption of Bill 78 and municipal bylaw P-6. Bill 78 On May 18, the National Assembly passed Bill 78, a brutal anti-democratic special law designed to restrict the right to demonstrate and to ban student strikes. It provided for stiff fines for unions or individuals who continued to block access to schools with picket lines. It required protest organizers to submit their itinerary to the police in advance. It also forced teachers, many of whom were sympathetic to the strike, to hold classes or face stiff fines. On the same day, Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblays administration passed a draconian municipal bylaw, P-6, which also required demonstrators to hand in their itineraries and prohibited them from wearing masks! At least 2,000 people were ticketed under this bylaw, which was later declared illegal by the Quebec Superior Court. Rather than back down, faced with the power of the state, the CLASSE leaders called for defiance of the anti-democratic, repressive law. Inaction is synonymous with complicity. To submit to this law is to accept it. To accept this law is to sanction its content, said spokesperson Jeanne Reynolds. The public response was absolutely massive. More than 400,000 people demonstrated on May 22. It was the largest act of civil disobedience in the history of the province and even the country. The police were paralyzed by the power of the masses. Once again, the role of leadership must be underlined. In the face of this repressive law, or any immediate attack by the government or the bosses, everything can be decided in 24 hours or less. If the leaders capitulate, it is very difficult for the mass to overcome the conservatism of their leadership. At this point, it becomes crucial for the leadership to give the signal of defiance to save the movement. This is a lesson that should be learned by all union leaders in an era when capitalist governments are constantly taking away the right to strike with back-to-work legislation. One day a union will have to challenge these anti-democratic laws, if the right to strike is to mean anything. A common argument for not defying these types of laws is that there is no guarantee that there would be a strong enough movement to successfully challenge such a law. Then afterwards, apathy following defeat is taken as evidence that it would not have been possible to challenge. Indeed, nothing is ever guaranteed. A guarantee of victory for a movement will never exist anywhere. But what these people dont understand is that dialectically, the fact that leaders call for defiance creates a confident movement, which would not have been possible without this call. Moreover, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois himself believed that the law would kill the strike. I was convinced at this point that this was the end of the mobilization, he said in a recent interview. But to his credit, he and CLASSE leaders called to defy Bill 78. As he says today: The adoption of this law was really the official tipping point from a movement led by youth to a much broader movement of protest against the Liberal regime. I was underestimating my generation a bit. The monstrously anti-democratic nature of the law revealed to the public the true nature of the Charest government. The law had the opposite effect of what was intended. The repression gave new life to the movement. New layers of the population were drawn into the struggle. To quote Marx, revolution sometimes needs the whip of counter-revolution. This took the form of the casserole movement, which began on May 24. One person on Facebook called on people to go out at 8 p.m. on their balconies and make noise by banging on pots and pans. This tactic was inspired by similar movements, notably in Chile. This movement spread like wildfire, and lasted for weeks. All over Quebec, all kinds of peopleyoung, old, students, parents, workers, etc.came out onto balconies and sidewalks, armed with wooden spoons, pots, pans, and other instruments to make noise. Then the neighbors, recognizing each other, gathered on street corners. The small gatherings on street corners coalesced into larger gatherings, and soon countless small demonstrationswith no itinerarycrisscrossed all neighborhoods, all over Quebec. All of Quebec defied the law. Everywhere in the streets the slogan could be heard: The special law! We dont give a fuck! ( La loi speciale! On sen calisse! ) From this point on, workers began to join the movement on an individual basis. Unfortunately, the student leadership did not seize this opportunity, and the immense potential of the movement was eventually lost. Workers and students: Same fight! After four months on strike and countless demonstrations, blockades, occupations, and stunts, the government remained inflexible. They still refused to freeze tuition fees, which was the minimum demand of the movement. As we explained in our interventions in the movement at the time, it was necessary to spread the movement to the working class. The issue of the strike was no longer simply a question of money. Minister of Public Safety Robert Dutil summed up the question before the National Assembly: Should the law of the street dominate, or should Parliament? He was right. The strike raised the question of power. The students were challenging the power of the ruling class and its state. The government could not back down. But students, by themselves, dont have much power. A student strike can put some pressure on the government, but this is nothing compared to the power that workers have. Workers, when they stop working, directly attack the profits of the capitalist class. They can block transport, communications, trade, production, etc. Not a wheel turns, not a light bulb shines without the permission of the working class. If the workers decide to do so, they can immobilize the whole society by the means of a general strike. The strength of the students lies rather in their numbers, their energy, and their time. Quebec students have led successful strikes, but ultimately they could not face the entire state apparatus alone, mobilized and determined to break them. In this kind of situation, the students must serve as a spark for a mass movement of the working class, which alone can defeat the capitalists and their state. This is for example what happened during the May 1968 movement in France. However, this need to link the student movement with the working class movement was misunderstood or not understood at all. There were indeed calls for a social strike. But these attempts were limited to abstract appeals or trying, often in private, to convince the leaders of the unions to join the struggle. The latter, if they supported the students in words, did not wish to take the slightest risk, and were above all concerned with putting an end to the conflict as quickly as possible and avoiding a general strike. This was evident in an absolutely outrageous exchange of letters between FTQ president Michel Arsenault and Ken Georgetti of the Canadian Labour Congress. In essence, Arsenault asked the unions in English Canada to mind their own business and not to support the student strike, so as not to add fuel to the fire. In response, Georgetti intervened with his Quebec affiliates in response to rumours that some locals were preparing to take illegal action, and asked them to stop and listen to the FTQs instructions. The FTQ, like the other major labour federations, shamefully refused to call on its members to disobey Bill 78in other words, they were calling on teachers to act as scabs against students. A solidarity strike was out of the question for them, since the collective agreements had not yet expired. Major union leaders were deathly afraid of illegality, and would rather betray the students than take the risk of defying the law. Faced with the immobility, even sabotage, of the union leaders, student activists needed to go directly to the rank-and-file workers. It was necessary to create teams of students to go to workplaces one by one to speak directly to rank-and-file workers, to convince them of the students demands and to show them that this struggle was part of the more general struggle of the workers against capitalist austerity. Unfortunately, while there were some attempts to establish links with the workerswith the creation, notably under the impulse of activists of La Riposte socialiste, of a few student-worker solidarity committeeslittle effort was invested in them as the CLASSE leaders did not see the need for this, and these committees fell into oblivion quite quickly. While the CLASSE leaders did call for economic disturbances, these were understood in an anarchist sense, without mobilizing the masses of workers. These disturbances took the form of numerous action demonstrations consisting of blocking workplaces without trying to win over the workers or even warn them in advance. Some even threw smoke bombs in the Montreal subway. These ultra-left actions were generally met with hostility from workers, who should have been convinced and won over to the student cause. This failure to mobilize broad layers of workers on an organized basis and in a general strike represents one of the main mistakes of the student leadership in 2012. We must learn this lesson. Elections Without a plan to extend the movement to workers, the student leadership was at a loss as to what to do other than continue with the same methods. Nightly demonstrations, economic disturbances, and various artistic stunts continued, but with little effect. Students continued to be arrested and brutalized en masse. Stagnation set in. The movement began to run out of steam. To resolve the impasse, Charest pulled a new card from his sleeve. On Aug. 1, he called a provincial election. He made law and order against the reign of the streets the issue of the campaign. Everyone understood the election as a referendum on tuition fee increases and the student strike. Disastrously, the CLASSE chose to boycott the elections. Elections are not a solution was the slogan. They tried to maintain the strike and demonstrations as the terrain of the struggle, ignoring the fact that the ground had shifted. While it was correct to maintain the strike during the elections, it had to be recognized that Charest had succeeded in diverting the struggle to the electoral plane. One by one, student associations voted to put an end to the strike or respect a truce for the time of the elections. The CLASSE, and particularly its anarchist wing, insisted on the need to maintain total independence from political parties. This position is not new to the Quebec left, and has its roots in the anarcho-syndicalist tradition. It can still be seen today even in the main union federations, which have long held an anyone but the Liberals position which in practice led them to be supporters of the PQ. In the anarcho-syndicalist tradition, this stems from a rejection of state power as a dangerous object, the forbidden fruit that should not be touched. In practice, this position amounts to a capitulation and to leaving the power of the state in the hands of capitalists. In student circles, the argument essentially took the form of saying that the CLASSE must remain independent of the political parties so as not to be manipulated by them or dependent on them. In practice, with this position, it was not the CLASSE that stayed independent of the political parties, but politics that were done independently of the CLASSE. It is fair to say that elections cannot change the fundamental nature of the capitalist system, and that they essentially serve to elect representatives of the bourgeoisie to a parliament that serves as a legislative body for the bourgeoisie. However, not all students, let alone all workers in Quebec, understood this truth. The CLASSE leaders unfortunately completely misjudged the change in the situation, and due to their anti-electoralist prejudices allowed the FEUQ/FECQ leaders, who were in alliance with the PQ, to capitalize on the situation. Everyone knew that a Liberal victory would have meant a huge defeat for the student movement. In this context, the Parti Quebecois seized the opportunity and opportunistically and hypocritically presented itself as the party of the red squares. The leader of the PQ, Pauline Marois, participated in demonstrations and wore the red square. Yet the PQ was far from being an anti-austerity party. In the late 1990s, the PQ under Lucien Bouchard had a zero deficit motto and implemented deep austerity cuts, particularly in the health-care system, which has never recovered. In this situation, Quebec solidaire was the only party whose election would have represented a clear victory against capitalist austerity. Born of a merger of community and feminist organizations with various small anti-capitalist parties, QS represented the most left-wing party on the Quebec political spectrum, and held a clear anti-austerity message. Therefore, there was clearly an option that would have strengthened the student movement and transformed the Quebec political scene. The CLASSE should have offered its support to QS on the condition that the party make supporting the strike and free education the central theme of its campaign. This would have transformed the party itself and made it the voice of radicalized youth and workers in Quebec. Only this could have cut across the maneuvers of the FECQ/FEUQ leaders and their support for the PQ. Unfortunately, the anti-election anarchist wing of the CLASSE won the debate, which played into the hands of the moderate student leaders and the PQ. The leaders of Quebec solidaire had their share of responsibility for this failure. They did not capitalize on the movement and failed to clearly present themselves as the party of free education and the student movement. They refused to call for civil disobedience against Bill 78. Showing their mistaken priorities, the only major rally organized by the party during the campaign, on August 25, when Quebec was going through a mass movement against austerity and for free education, was on the theme of Quebec independence. As mentioned above, the FECQ/FEUQ leaders were involved in the election campaign. Officially, they did not support a particular party, but called for a strategic vote against the Liberals and the CAQ. Since Quebec solidaire was a fairly marginal party at the time, with only one MP, the pro-PQ message was very clear. This became particularly clear when FECQ leader Leo Bureau-Blouin, one of the best-known faces of the strike, became a candidate for the PQ after his term as president ended. The president of the FEUQ, Martine Desjardins, also took advantage of her celebrity status acquired in 2012 to run as a candidate for the PQ in the 2014 elections. On the evening of Sept. 4, the Liberals were defeated. Jean Charest, humiliated, lost in his own riding. In the days following her election as head of a minority government, Pauline Marois announced the withdrawal of Bill 78 and the tuition fee increase. After eight historic months, the students main demand was met! But as students would soon discover, this victory against Jean Charests Liberals was truly a Pyrrhic victory. The PQ government replaced the increase with an indexation of tuition fees, according to the disposable income of households per capita, which amounted to an average increase of three per cent per year. Marois thus succeeded in doing what Jean Charest could not: unfreeze tuition fees. And while Charests increase would have lasted for five years, Maroiss lasts forever. The Marois government continued to impose austerity measures. The student movement attempted to rebound, but failed, exhausted and demoralized after eight months on strike. Two years later, the Liberals returned to power and continued their ransacking of public services. The legacy of 2012 and the future of the left in Quebec In the wake of 2012, two clearly definable trends have emerged. On the one hand, the anarchist wing of the movement learned the wrong lessons. With the renewal of the student movement in 2015, activists organized in the Printemps 2015 group adopted an impatient ultra-left position that would lead the movement to failure. As a new hot spring was shaping up, with strike votes in universities and CEGEPs in parallel with negotiations in the public sector, the idea of a social strike uniting students and workers came back on the table. But the common front of public sector unions postponed its strike until the fall. The ASSE executive then proposed postponing the student strike, which it described as a strategic retreat. In response, the anarchist wing raised an outcry and denounced the maneuvering and paternalism of the ASSE executive. The slogan of the anarchist wing, which would make Sun Tzu cringe, was Retreat can never be strategic. Under pressure, the entire ASSE executive resigned. Not satisfied with this resignation, the convention adopted a motion to dismiss the executive! The student strike went ahead without the workers. It was permeated with a nihilistic mood, captured by the most iconic slogan of the 2015 movement, Fuck everything! While this appealed to a small layer of student activists, the rest of the movement and the vast majority of students and workers understood that the movement was isolated and had no desire to walk out to give the rest of society the middle finger. So the strike did not spread very far outside the walls of UQAM and went nowhere. In the fall, when the public sector unions went on the largest strike since the 1970s, the student movement was nowhere to be found. This strike led to the adoption of a completely rotten collective agreement. In the years following this failure, the ASSE entered a period of paralysis and decline. The revolutionary student union that led the heroic struggle of 2012 eventually dissolved in 2019. On the other side, former ASSE leaders like Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois joined Quebec solidaire and have adopted a fully conciliatory approach with the capitalist parties. When GND talks about 2012, he says that he has now matured and that the image people have of him because of 2012 bothers me, because its an image that is profoundly different from the person I am. Now GND and his clique are in complete control of QS and have taken the party in a more moderate and reformist, pro-establishment direction. They have abandoned any pretense of fighting the capitalist system and reject the combative tactics of ASSE, and give priority to passing nicely worded motions in parliament. These two paths, anarchist ultra-leftism and parliamentary reformist opportunism, are in fact two sides of the same coin which lead to a dead end: on the one hand impotence, on the other acceptance of the status quo. The student movement must learn the right lessons from 2012. Students, alone, cannot overthrow the capitalists, their state and their austerity policies. But they can serve as a spark for a mass workers movement. That possibility was hanging over our heads in 2012. To get there, a student strike is not enough. We must actively build links with the labor movement and show solidarity with workers, join their struggles and adopt a radical program to defend workers interests, i.e. a socialist program. To implement such a strategy, students cannot remain isolated in their local associations, but must unite on a national scale. We must rebuild a national union organization that is both democratic and capable of playing a leadership role, like ASSE was. As capitalism is hit with economic, health, and climate crises, and imperialist conflicts threaten to drag us into barbarism, youth feel the urgency to fight the system. As in 2012, youth-led mass movements are becoming more and more frequent, from the United States to Colombia, Kazakhstan, Sudan, Myanmar, Chile, Algeria, and Lebanon. Inevitably, such a movement will return here too. If we are to lead it to victory, we must revive the revolutionary traditions of 2012. Originally published on 22 March at marxist.ca | Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: New talks to be held in Turkey, forest fires break out near Chernobyl Xinhua) 10:57, March 28, 2022 BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Russia-Ukraine conflict continued on Monday, while Russian and Ukrainian delegations will hold a new round of face-to-face negotiations this week. Following are the latest developments of the situation: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Sunday agreed to hold the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Turkey's Istanbul city, the Turkish presidency said. The two leaders had a phone conversation on Sunday and discussed the latest situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the negotiation process, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. The two leaders "agreed that the next meeting of the negotiation teams of Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul," the statement said. - - - - Forest fires, which broke out around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to hostilities, cover more than 10,000 hectares, Ukrainian Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said Sunday. "We have recorded 31 fires, which caused an increased level of radioactive contamination in the air," Denisova wrote on Facebook. Ukrainian firefighters are unable to reach the area, which is controlled by Russian forces, Denisova added. - - - - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country stands ready for an all-for-all prisoner exchange with Russia before the end of hostilities, the presidential press service reported. "I believe that there is an agreement to exchange everyone for everyone, we have this number -- let's exchange for this number," Zelensky said in an interview with Russian media. He also noted that Ukraine wants to hand over the corpses of Russian soldiers to their relatives. - - - - Russian and Ukrainian delegations will hold a new round of face-to-face negotiations on March 29-30, head of Russia's negotiation team Vladimir Medinsky said on Sunday. "Today, another round of negotiations with Ukraine via video link took place. As a result, it was decided to meet in person on March 29-30," Medinsky, also an aide to the Russian president, said on Telegram. Meanwhile, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said Sunday that the next live round will be held in Turkey on March 28-30. Since Feb. 28, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of face-to-face peace talks and then a series of online discussions, but have failed to reach a major agreement. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will lift the state mask mandate for schools on March 7, but local districts will still have the authority to keep their own in place. As many as 80 vehicles were involved in a pileup on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County in a snow squall Monday, March 28, 2022. (David McKeown/The Republican Herald) Five people were reportedly killed and 24 hurt in a pileup on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County that began during a heavy snow squall Monday morning and involved 50 to 60 vehicles, officials said. Videos posted to social media show tractor-trailers and cars skidding and plowing into each other in whiteout conditions near the Minersville exit west of Pottsville, with three tractor-trailers and two smaller vehicles catching fire. Advertisement The Pottsville Republican Herald, citing a deputy Schuylkill County coroner, reported five people had died. The coroners office referred questions to state police Trooper David Beohm, who could not be reached. State police at Frackville said the injured were taken to four hospitals. The incident began around 10:30 a.m. and authorities declared a mass casualty incident 30 minutes later. The southbound lanes of the interstate were closed from the Highridge Park Road exit (119) and the northbound lanes were closed from the Hegins exit (112). Advertisement The road was expected to remain closed at least until the early morning hours, said John Blickley, Schuylkill Countys deputy director of emergency management. He didnt know the conditions of the injured patients. The ripple effect on traffic had other regional thoroughfares jammed Monday afternoon. Route 61 here in Pottsville is a parking lot with trucks, Blickley said. Videos of the pileup are hair-raising. One shows a man standing next to a disabled vehicle and barely getting out of the way as another car skids off the road and crashes into it. UNBELIEVABLE video of a pileup in Schuylkill County as snow squalls brought visibility on Interstate 81 down to near zero. Video shot live by Mike Moye (Facebook) pic.twitter.com/q1BxgUYz2O Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) March 28, 2022 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. > Blickley said 50-75 people who were stranded but uninjured were being sheltered at a fire station in Minersville. State police and the American Red Cross were helping people contact their families and arrange for rides. The National Weather Service had warned Monday of numerous brief heavy snow squalls with very poor visibility. Advertisement Mike Colbert, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in State College, said the weather service started issuing warnings for snow squalls a few hours earlier because of pileup like the one on I-81. They are very heavy snow showers where if you are driving into them, you can go from partly cloudy or sunny skies into an instant blizzard in a matter of seconds. Thats why they are so dangerous, he said. We just hope there are no more squalls, said Blickley, adding that the Department of Environmental Protection was notified because of the potential environmental impact from spills and fires. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Nearly 70,000 residents 1 in 10 in the Lehigh Valley go hungry daily, with the rate 1 in 6 for children, according to United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Advertisement Its only gotten worse during the pandemic, during which students in the Lehigh Valley have also had to deal with serious disruptions in their education, United Way says. Were really starting to see the effects post-pandemic, said David Lewis, the local United Way president. Were just now starting to get an idea of really the negative impact thats its having. Advertisement Local organizations are trying to combat those problems. Monday at the Easton Public Market, Lewis joined officials in announcing new initiatives, how a corporate gift will help pay for those programs, and how the contribution could provide better access to health food and educational support. United Way said the Air Products Foundation, a charitable arm of Lehigh Valley industrial gases giant Air Products, is gifting $500,000 over three years toward various projects. For the first year of the incentive, organizations benefiting are: Greater Easton Development Partnership, which is launching an outdoor, neighborhood market serving residents of the West Ward starting this summer, at 12th Street near Paxinosa Elementary School; Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, toward buying a van to meet rising demand for its food pantry program; and Bethlehem Area School District, for providing additional mental health counseling services and after-school programs for students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. With our new van, we will increase the capacity, and we will be able to serve more clients, said Victoria Montero, executive director of the Bethlehem-based Hispanic Center. Montero said the nonprofit, which previously provided food for approximately 800 Northampton County residents per year, has seen the need grow to nearly 3,000 during the pandemic. Bethlehem schools Superintendent Joseph Roy said Air Products became a lead partner to help Thomas Jefferson become a United Way community school to help many families that United Way defines by the acronym ALICE. It essentially defines a socioeconomic bracket of those whose income exceeds the federal poverty level but who are also cash-strapped. The additional funding will let the school offer after-school programs and counseling for those students and their families, he said. First Call Daily Leading local stories delivered on weekday mornings > You cannot underestimate the capacity-building power of these dollars, and how its going to help us help so many families, Roy said. [ Air Products Foundation, United Way to address hunger needs in the Lehigh Valley ] The Lehigh Valleys two Fortune 500 companies, Air Products and PPL Corp., have worked on projects with United Way for decades, Lewis said. Last year, United Way and the Upper Macungie Township company collaborated on the Air Products Fresh Food Promise, in which the foundation pledged an unspecified contribution to United Ways food-access work for every donation. Lewis said Air Products contributed about $250,000 to the food campaign, and called Mondays news of the additional half-million dollar commitment transformational. Advertisement Its just going to help thousands of kids, families and seniors, he said before the announcement. It really is a transformational gift. United Way said donations for the Fresh Food Promise can still be made through Thursday, when the fundraising campaign ends; more details are available at unitedwayglv.org, or by calling 610-758-8010. The local United Ways territory encompasses Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties. United Way and Air Products will review the balance of the $500,000 after the first year and determine whether to continue providing money for the recipients or distribute it to new causes. Officials did not provide the exact amounts being doled out this year. Morning Call journalist Anthony Salamone can be reached at asalamone@mcall.com. HARRISBURG With the Russia-Ukraine war and soaring gasolines prices as the backdrop, a Republican-led House committee on Monday advanced a slew of energy-related proposals in the face of Democratic opposition. One bill would squelch Democratic Gov. Tom Wolfs attempt to put Pennsylvania into a multistate carbon emissions-limiting pact. Advertisement Another calls for leasing subsurface rights for oil and gas development under state parks and forests meaning companies could access the resources by drilling horizontally from wells not located in the parks or forests. Most or all Democrats on the Republican-dominated House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted against those measures and five others, with Republicans endorsing them. Advertisement All will go to the full House for consideration. The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Greg Vitali of Delaware County, said the bill killing Wolfs bid to put Pennsylvania in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was riddled with problems and proposed no solution to the states role in climate change. Vitali cited recent floods in the Manayunk and Vine Street Expressway sections of Philadelphia. You look at the reality of climate change, Vitali said. Its just not normal. Pennsylvania State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, said instead of climate change, the real threat was Russian leader Vladimir Putin who, in the course of about five weeks of war against Ukraine, has allowed for the possibility of nuclear attacks. (Mark Pynes/pennlive/pennlive.com) Republican Committee Chairman Daryl Metcalfe of Butler County ridiculed climate change assertions made by Vitali, Wolf and President Joe Biden. He said the real threat was Russian leader Vladimir Putin who, in the course of about five weeks of war against Ukraine, has allowed for the possibility of nuclear attacks. Other Republicans on the committee said the war highlighted the need for U.S. energy independence. We have all been watching what is going on in Ukraine with heavy hearts, said Rep. Clint Owlett of Tioga County, sponsor of the subsurface rights bill. Advertisement He said it would provide a different path to oil and gas production and move beyond what he called Wolfs misguided moratorium on new drilling leases on state lands. Partisan debate Debate on Owletts proposal showed the wide gulf between Republicans seeking to boost the states ability to produce oil and gas, and Democrats looking to protect the environment. Vitali said oil and gas drilling turns pristine land into an industrial site with roads and noise and truck traffic and diesel exhaust and lighting at night. He said leasing subsurface rights below state lands and setting up horizontal drilling into those resources would lead to having state parks and forests that are just ringed with all this industrial activity even though it might not be next to the ranger station. Republican Rep. Timothy O Neal of Washington County called that assertion absolutely laughable, saying companies are drilling five miles horizontally underground to reach oil and gas and are trying to stretch it even farther. Democratic Rep. Joe Hohenstein of Philadelphia said pipelines that transport oil and gas long distances can be hit by physical and cyberterrorist attacks. The best approach, he said, was to have energy sources and consumption near each other. True energy independence, Hohenstein said, is rooted in diversifying energy resources. Advertisement Republican Rep. Joshua Kail of Beaver County said putting wind and solar power at the heart of U.S. energy strategy is flawed, because most rare earth minerals used in making wind and solar components come from China. Renewable energy is nothing more than Chinese-produced energy right now, he said. Until the materials can be obtained and used in the U.S., Kail said, it really doesnt make any sense as far as our national security goes. Other measures approved by the committee included one to create a task force to study the creation of a liquified natural gas export hub in Philadelphia, and a resolution urging New York and New Jersey governors to end anti-pipeline policies that block Pennsylvania natural gas from reaching New England. Pennsylvania industry focus Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > The committee actions came as the the average gasoline price in Pennsylvania hovered around $4.32 a gallon. That is little changed over the past week or so but about 44% higher than a year ago. Prior to the voting session, the committee hosted a hearing where testifiers said nearly every implement in modern life from asphalt to medical syringes to baby products is tied to the oil and gas industry. Advertisement Energy is security and it is never more clear than since the war started, said Dan Weaver, president and executive director of the Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Association. Industry leaders testified that Pennsylvania is the second-largest producer of natural gas in the nation, with about 500,000 jobs tied to the industry, and chemicals derived from the process are used to make a huge range of products. David Taylor, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Associations, said nearly every item in modern life comes from things that are mined, forged, or fabricated all processes that involve the use of hydrocarbons from fossil fuels. In every way that matters, energy is life, Taylor said. Morning Call Capitol correspondent Ford Turner can be reached at fturner@mcall.com Pennsylvania students planning to attend a college, trade school or nursing school in 2022-23 may be missing out on as much as $11,500 in financial aid to help cover tuition and other related bills. Officials from the states student financial aid agency report the number of students who have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form is down 10%. Advertisement Submitting these forms is the first step toward determining a students eligibility for all types of federal and state student aid programs including grant programs where the money does not have to be repaid. As of March 18, 272,511 FAFSA forms were submitted compared with 302,563 last year, according to data provided by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. It shows the number of those who submitted a form is down in every county except rural Forest County. FAFSA must be submitted annually to access financial aid. Advertisement Even among the Class of 2022, the number of Pennsylvania seniors completing this form is down by nearly 1% compared with last year, making it the third year that number has declined, according to the nonprofit National College Attainment Network. When it comes to completing the FAFSA, timing is critical, said Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Allegheny County, who serves as vice chair of PHEAAs board. He said some financial aid programs operate on a first-come, first-served basis. That includes the state-funded Ready to Succeed Scholarship Program and the Pa. Targeted Industry Program. If a student delays or misses a deadline, they could miss out on thousands of dollars in student aid funding, Fontana said. May 1 is the deadline for applying for state grants that offer up to $5,000 awards to first-time and returning students attending college, universities, trade or technical schools or schools of nursing. This year, more than 104,000 students, both adult and traditional-age college age, received a grant. We hear a lot about the cost of higher education these days but a student wont really know the true cost to attend school for the 2022-23 academic year until they file the FAFSA and receive notice from their school of all of the financial aid that theyre eligible to receive toward the cost of their college, said Elizabeth McCloud, PHEAAs vice president for state grants and special programs. Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > FAFSA also is used to determine a students eligibility for federal Pell grants, which this year can provide $6,495 in aid, as well as low-interest federal loans that provide better terms and more protections than private or alternative loans, she said. The past two years have been challenging for students across Pennsylvania and we want to do everything that we can to ensure that students arent passing up on the resources that are available to enroll in and successfully pay for college, McCloud said. Advertisement PHEAA has resources on its website to help students complete the FAFSA form as well as locate a higher education access partner in their area to assist on a one-to-one basis, said William Lindsey, the agencys Pennsylvania school services manager. PHEAA also will be hosting a free statewide webinar April 18 to help guide students and families on a step-by-step basis in filling out the FAFSA and state grant forms. To register for that webinar, go to pheaa.org/virtual. Theres really two big mistakes that a student can make, Lindsey said. One is not apply at all and two is miss deadlines, potential deadlines. So were encouraging students and families even if they are unsure of their higher education goal down the line to still complete the FAFSA. Rather have it completed and not pursue higher education than the other way around. 2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. I have a homework assignment for you. Put 100 people in a room and get 80 of them to agree on something. Youre shaking your head. Youre saying it cant be done. Yet in a recent poll of public school parents from Hart Research and Lake Research Partners, a remarkable 78% said the quality and performance of their childrens teachers is excellent or good. Advertisement A full 80% said their childrens teachers have made an extra effort to help students during the pandemic. Walk into any classroom in Pennsylvania, and you will see educators and support professionals going above and beyond to keep their students learning on track despite a staggering array of challenges. Parents recognize and appreciate all that theyve done. Advertisement But sadly, many educators are telling me that this has been the toughest school year of their careers. Too many are thinking about career changes. This couldnt come at a worse time, as many students continue to struggle from the effects of the pandemic. Rich Askey (PSEA/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Lorena Garcia with her students at the Headwaters School in Austin, Texas, on Jan. 30, 2020. In the coming months, state lawmakers will negotiate a new state budget with Gov. Tom Wolf, one that will set Pennsylvanias priorities over the next year. When it comes to education, we must identify ways to address the many challenges our schools face, including tackling learning delays from the pandemic and keeping great teachers on the job. With a robust increase in state funding, we can empower public schools to assess delays in student learning and make sure educators have the time and supports to close the gaps. This may include investing in programs to reduce class sizes and providing more individualized attention to students. We need to provide the mental and emotional health services students need to bounce back from the stress and trauma theyve experienced during the pandemic. That means employing more school nurses, counselors, psychologists and social workers. Too many school districts have only a handful of these specialists to serve hundreds or even thousands of students. On top of these challenges, we are seeing crisis-level shortages of educators, support staff and substitute teachers in Pennsylvania. This has shifted the pressure onto existing staff, who are losing prep periods and lunches to fill in for sick colleagues. Some go from homeroom to the dismissal bell without a bathroom break. Providing the resources our schools need to tackle this crisis must be a top priority for lawmakers in this budget. If lawmakers approve significant state funding increases, school districts will be able to increase starting teacher salaries to at least $50,000 so teachers pay is competitive with other states and other professions. We also must make investments in higher education and student loan forgiveness to attract more people of color to the teaching profession. Right now, students of color account for 36% of all public school students, while teachers of color are only 6% of the educator workforce, according to Research for Action. Advertisement Public schools are receiving federal relief funding to address pandemic-fueled education issues, but they are reluctant to use this short-term funding for long-term investments. Thats one of the reasons why state funding increases are so important. State funds, which make up nearly half of total spending on Pennsylvanias public schools, are more reliable, consistent and predictable. And that brings us back to priorities. Our students and educators need state policymakers to make public school funding a top priority and pass a bipartisan budget that gets schools the resources they need. Every student deserves to have the power of a great public education, and every public school needs the resources to make sure their students get it. We need our educators, too. Theyve stepped up during the pandemic and made a tremendous difference in the lives of their students. We dont want to lose great teachers to other industries. For the past several years, elected officials have made funding for public education a top priority. This bipartisan commitment has resulted in a record school funding increase in the current years budget. Advertisement Now, we need lawmakers to come together again and invest in education. The future of our commonwealth is at stake. Junior Stephanie Hohn, left, has been engaged with professor Ashby Kinchs capstone on grief and how people process loss. The course, which meets at the Missoula Public Library, emphasizes the portrayal of grief through written means and how people explore grief. Senior Joshua Hall, right, said its been enriching and illuminating to open up about how people process and explore grief. Its been wonderful to integrate this undergraduate class with the community, he said. We still participate as students and we try to encourage community members to foster conversation. KINSHASA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Several army positions have come under attack by March 23 Movement (M23) rebels since early Monday in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to local security sources. M23 rebels have launched several attacks on positions of the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) in the Rutshuru territory, north of Goma, capital of North Kivu province, since 3:00 a.m. local time, military sources told Xinhua. Witnesses said sounds of heavy fighting lasted several hours and some local residents have fled to the border region, attempting to cross into Uganda, according to local sources. The M23 is a group of former rebels of the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). The name came from the March 23, 2009, agreement between the CNDP and the DRC government. M23 leaders have accused the government of failing to respect that agreement. Shootings disrupt U.S. over weekend amid public outcry against gun violence 13:14, March 28, 2022 By Sun Ding ( Xinhua WASHINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A series of shootings have occurred across cities and communities in the United States over the past weekend, taking lives and causing injuries, amid rising public outcry against gun violence. There is also a growing concern that the deep-seated problem could further exacerbate in the United States as summer approaches -- typically the nation's most violent season -- and businesses and public places are moving to fully reopen in spite of rising COVID-19 cases and deaths. DEADLY WEEKEND Police responded to two separate shootings in Prince George's County in the state of Maryland that happened within minutes of each other on Friday evening. One of the incidents happened inside a shopping mall in the city of Hyattsville, leaving one person killed. "This is shocking to us as it is to you and to our community," Hyattsville City Police Chief Jarod Towers told reporters on Friday night. At least four people were injured in a shooting that police said involved "several parties" outside a tavern in Virginia Beach, a coastal city in southeastern Virginia, early Saturday morning. Several officers were monitoring the tavern when they noticed a group of people arguing before several took out their guns and started shooting, according to the police. Two officers then intervened and shot at one of the people who was armed. The suspect fled and has not been located. "I was sitting there and all I saw was a bunch of people trying to get in and my gut instinct told me to get out of the way, shortly after I heard a bunch of gunshots followed by people pushing to get in the door," an eyewitness told a local news station. "I ran down the street and heard multiple more gunshots, they just kept coming in, it was terrifying." Police in other states such as Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, and California, have reported at least one fatal shooting over the past two days, a week after several mass shootings attracted national attention during the previous weekend, including one at a car show in Dumas, Arkansas, which killed one person and injured at least 27 others. More than 17,000 people have died or been injured due to gun violence in the United States so far this year, during which time the country has seen at least 110 mass shootings, according to a database run by the nonprofit research group Gun Violence Archive. PUBLIC OUTCRY A group of residents in a neighborhood of Montgomery, capital of state Alabama, marched this Saturday to decry gun violence, a day after a shooting in the city left one dead and another in critical condition. "That's terrible," Jonathan Givens, an organizer of the walk-out, reportedly said. "That's a sad thing." More than 1,100 fake body bags -- each one representing 150 people -- were placed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Thursday to spell out "Thoughts and Prayers," a common phrase U.S. politicians use in the wake of tragedies arising from shootings. The demonstration fell on the fourth anniversary of the "March For Our Lives" rally to commemorate the more than 170,000 people who have died from gun violence in the United States since the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, the state of Florida, where a gunman killed 14 students and three staff members with a semi-automatic rifle. "We want to provide a stark reality and visual of what not having done anything for years looks like," Daud Mumin, "March For Our Lives" board of directors co-chair, told ABC News. "Thoughts and prayers are reserved for things that are outside of our control, that are outside of our responsibility and ability, right?" Mumin said. "Gun violence is not a natural thing." Gun violence has been on the rise across the United States in the past few years, a trend fueled by a confluence of factors, from the economic and social disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic to the unrest during the 2020 elections, as well as a surge in gun sales. Homicides were up 30 percent between 2019 and 2020 in the nation, the largest one-year increase in six decades. "Gun violence is one of America's deadliest and longest running epidemics," co-wrote Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health, New York's largest healthcare provider, in an opinion published recently on magazine Scientific American with Chethan Sathya, a firearm injury researcher. "It is nothing less than an immediate need." "NATIONAL STAIN" Guns are deeply ingrained in U.S. society and the nation's political debates. With nearly 400 million guns in civilian hands -- the equivalent of 120 firearms per 100 citizens, the United States is also an outlier among wealthy, developed countries in terms of gun issues. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives Americans the right to bear arms, and four-in-ten American adults say they live in a household with a gun, including 30 percent who say they personally own one, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in June 2021. Around half of Americans -- 48 percent -- see gun violence as a very big problem in the United States, a different Pew research showed. Another 24 percent of U.S. adults say gun violence is a moderately big problem. But Americans are divided over whether restricting legal gun ownership would lead to fewer mass shootings. U.S. President and Democrat Joe Biden announced in February a new set of actions aimed at reducing gun violence across the nation, including a crackdown on the illegal flow of guns, and helping prosecutors bring cases against those using "ghost guns" -- unserialized and untraceable firearms -- to commit crimes. Republicans, however, have continued to push for loose gun regulation at the state level, arguing that it is a constitutional right to bear arms and that it is necessary for people to arm themselves at a time of rising gun violence. Biden issued a statement in early March in response to a drive-by shooting outside a high school in Des Moines, capital of state Iowa, which killed one teen boy and injured two girls, saying that "too many families have had to bury a piece of their soul after yet another tragic shooting." "Every American should be able to visit a house of worship, a grocery store, a night club, or any other place without fear of being gunned down," he continued. "That too many cannot is a stain on our national character." (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) SYDNEY, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Life-threatening flash flooding and intense rainfall have hit some parts of eastern Australia, with one death recorded. The deceased man was found on Monday in the state of Queensland when police were called to help rescue a vehicle with two occupants in flood. The other occupant, a woman, was sent to a hospital in a stable condition. A number of dogs also died. The heavy overnight rainfall in Queensland has caused rapid creek and river level rises along Myall Creek and Condamine River with areas of major flooding occurring. The Queensland Bureau of Meteorology said locally intense rainfall leading to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding is possible with thunderstorm from Monday to Tuesday. Meanwhile, the New South Wales (NSW) Bureau of Meteorology also warned that heavy rainfall is forecast to develop over parts of northeastern NSW later on Monday or Tuesday. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 80 to 140 mm are possible, reaching up to 180 mm over coastal areas and ranges. The warnings came not long from the catastrophic flooding events in both states from mid-February to early March. Residents in flood-damaged places, such as NSW's Lismore and Murwillumbah, were told again to prepare for the severe weather. NSW State Emergency Service said the storms and persistent showers may limit the recovery efforts across the eastern parts of the state. People are encouraged to monitor forecasts and warnings as rain and storms are possible over the week. Soldiers march in a formation during a military parade to mark the 77th Armed Forces Day in Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar, March 27, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung) YANGON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar marked the 77th Armed Forces Day with a military parade in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday. Soldiers march in a formation during a military parade to mark the 77th Armed Forces Day in Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar, March 27, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung) Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attends a military parade to mark the 77th Armed Forces Day in Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar, March 27, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung) A military band marches in a formation during a military parade to mark the 77th Armed Forces Day in Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar, March 27, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung) Military vehicles march in a formation during a military parade to mark the 77th Armed Forces Day in Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar, March 27, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung) KIEV, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Forest fires, which broke out around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to hostilities, cover more than 10,000 hectares, Ukrainian Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said Sunday. "We have recorded 31 fires, which caused an increased level of radioactive contamination in the air," Denisova wrote on Facebook. Ukrainian firefighters are unable to reach the area, which is controlled by Russian forces, Denisova added. The Chernobyl nuclear plant, some 110 km north of Kiev, suffered one of the worst nuclear accidents in human history on April 26, 1986. On Feb. 24, Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to the head of the President's Office of Ukraine, said Russian forces had seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. LHASA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- On a moonless night, two scrawny, exhausted boys frantically escaped their fates of becoming Nangsans, or house slaves, by slipping out of Shannan, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, and journeying to the present-day regional capital Lhasa. The orphaned boys, 13-year-old Thubten Gyaltsen and his younger brother, staggered on blistered feet and begged for three days to reach Lhasa. "What I thought then was to live on," said the now 82-year-old man. Although the escape took place 69 years ago, the night is still burned into Thubten Gyaltsen's memory. Years after their escape, democratic reform led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) was launched and feudal serfdom was finally abolished in Tibet. A million serfs and slaves including Thubten Gyaltsen were emancipated and started to embrace a new life. Thubten Gyaltsen and his family now live in a two-story house with 13 rooms and a garage in the city of Xigaze. Five in his family of six enjoy wages or pension, and three have college degrees. Ahead of Serfs' Emancipation Day, which falls on Monday, Thubten Gyaltsen looked back on the extraordinary history he has witnessed in Tibet. HELL ON EARTH Thubten Gyaltsen hailed from the present-day Nedong District, Shannan City, which was once a manor owned by a feudal lord. Serfs here could barely fill their stomachs, wore tattered clothes and engaged in a life-and-death struggle. "My parents were serfs. My mother died when I was 9, and my father passed away when I was 12," he recalled. "As orphans, we could not afford to pay the head tax, and were forced to be Nangsans in the manor." In old Tibet, governmental officials, aristocrats and senior lamas, who represented merely 5 percent of the population, had a monopoly on almost all cultivated land, pastures, mountains, rivers and most livestock. The other 95 percent, comprised of serfs and slaves, had no personal possessions nor personal freedom, let alone human rights. Nangsans were the most miserable of serfs and could be sold by their owners as cattle. Thubten Gyaltsen's uncle was a Nangsan. He delivered a message to his nephew: "If you become a Nangsan, your life will be hell on earth. Try to escape." Thubten Gyaltsen and his younger brother fled for their lives in April of that year. Life in Lhasa was not much better. They slept on the streets and had no one to depend on. To survive, Thubten Gyaltsen became a servant for a wealthy family. "I was 13 years old then. The steward made me work as an adult. I did not have enough to eat, and slept beside an earthen stove at night," he said. Two years later, he decided to return to Shannan to look for his uncle. "I heard that my uncle was not a Nangsan anymore, and he worked for the CPC. I was looking forward to finding him." SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE Once Thubten Gyaltsen finally joined his uncle, a CPC official told him: "You have suffered a lot. If you want to lead a happy life, you must learn to read and be literate." He was then sent to a cadre academy in Lhasa to study. "I was full of excitement. I did not feel like a human being during serfdom. The CPC gave me a second life," he said. The second time he visited Lhasa, he wore new clothes, a pair of leather shoes and rode in on the back of a horse. On March 28, 1959, the central government led the people in Tibet to launch the democratic reform, abolishing Tibet's feudal serfdom under a theocracy. Thubten Gyaltsen returned to Lhasa from a school in Xianyang City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province and participated in the campaign. The democratic reform gave new life to Tibet. Serfs and slaves were given land, domestic animals and houses of their own. They have become the masters of the nation, Tibet and their own fates, and turned themselves into grassroots cadres, students, teachers and doctors. Thubten Gyaltsen became a local cadre in Xigaze and joined the CPC in 1980. He spent most of his time serving people at the grassroots level. Today, hunger and poverty are a thing of the past for people of all ethnic groups in Tibet. By the end of 2019, all registered poor residents in Tibet had shaken off poverty, marking the elimination of absolute poverty in the region for the first time in history. "Our lives couldn't be happier, and we are experiencing a totally different world compared with the old days," Thubten Gyaltsen said. "I have no regrets following in the steps of the CPC, and luckily, my choice was correct." WUHAN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- About 50,000 fry of Chinese sturgeon, an endangered fish species, have been released into the Wuhan section of the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei Province. All the fry were artificially bred by the Institute of Hydroecology, which is jointly administered by the Ministry of Water Resources and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Researchers made fluorescent marks on 2,500 fry of different specifications before the release to facilitate follow-up monitoring. "It is important to carry out artificial reproduction and build the artificial species group to restore the natural reproduction of Chinese sturgeon," said Liao Xiaolin, researcher with the institute. From October 2021 to March this year, technicians artificially induced the birth of 110,000 Chinese sturgeon fry, said Liao. Nicknamed "aquatic pandas," the Chinese sturgeon is a species under first-class state protection in China. However, the population of the flagship species in the Yangtze plummeted in the late 20th century due to intrusive human activities. Australian geoscientist Sue O'Reilly delivers a speech at the presentation ceremony of the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award in Canberra, Australia, March 24, 2022. (Photo by Chu Chen/Xinhua) "Every person does a small part. It's like a jigsaw puzzle," Australian scientist O'Reilly said. "We start putting things into place, and we have ended up with a really significant change in the way we understand the earth." CANBERRA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientist Sue O'Reilly might have known about the geostructure of China better than many Chinese. During the past 40 years, the professor from Macquarie University has been committed to research collaborations in geoscience with Chinese universities and institutes during her trips to China. On Thursday, O'Reilly received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award for her contribution to the development of Chinese science and exchanges between the Chinese and international geoscience community. "This is by far the most emotional moment I've ever had in my Chinese collaborations," said the 76-year-old Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in an interview with Xinhua after the awarding ceremony. "It is just amazing that 30 or 40 years of doing wonderful work with wonderful Chinese colleagues has been so important that it's recognized by the Chinese government." The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People's Republic of China is a state-level annual award established by the State Council of China in 1994, which is conferred on foreign experts or organizations that have made important contributions to China's science and technology development. "This award is indeed proof that science collaboration is a powerful way to build lasting international bonds and ongoing cooperation in an increasingly complex world that we all share, and we have a responsibility to shape for the future," said O'Reilly. Professor Sue O'Reilly (1st L) visits the Fangshan basalt and xenoliths in Luhe, Nanjing in October 1992. (Photo provided by Sue O'Reilly/Xinhua) She first traveled to China in 1982. At that time she finished her PhD in volcanic rocks around New South Wales, and found that Australia was not the right place to take her research any further. So she cast her sight to China. The life-long contacts she then established came into fruition with an invitation to a conference in Beijing in 1992. She then visited the Fangshan basalt and xenoliths in Luhe, Nanjing of east China's Jiangsu province. In the following years, Professor O'Reilly worked with Chinese researchers. They conducted research in China, investigated the volcanic geology of South Australia, and compared the four-dimensional rock evolution of eastern China with eastern Australia. "We had a vision to understand how the earth works with Chinese colleagues. I won't pretend it's all been easy. We had some very hard field trips," she said. In 2002, she visited Hannuoba of north China's Hebei province. The road was slippery when they rode on a tractor to go to the site after the rain, but the happiness for exploration was written on her smiling face in the photo. Professor Sue O'Reilly (1st R) led a joint Sino-Australian PhD student on a field trip to Yunnan, China in October 2008. (Photo provided by Sue O'Reilly/Xinhua) Throughout the years she witnessed great changes in China. "When I first went to China, there were almost no motor cars," she told Xinhua, recalling the scene when they sat in a black car in a sea of bikes. Back in 1982, not long after China had opened up to the world and to new science, people in the laboratories had very little equipment, and many were looking at foreign experts like O'Reilly to "guide them as to what was important for the future." "The outcome of that has been that China has grown scientifically so much that we now go to use laboratories in China because they are so excellent, and I received so much support in China," she added. The professor said one of her greatest memories was being able to assist the young Chinese to start publishing in the international literature, build their world-class laboratories and research programs and bring up the next generation in an international environment of science. Professor Sue O'Reilly (1st R) supervised a joint Sino-Australian PhD student sampling in Yunnan in October 2008. (Photo provided by Sue O'Reilly/Xinhua) As a visiting professor of the China University of Geosciences and concurrent professor of the Nanjing University, she not only helped with the training of scientific and technological talents, but also initiated many geological surveys and laboratory cooperation between China and Australia. She visited the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013, where she guided Chinese researchers to carry out laboratory work and discuss test data. The young scientists she trained have become the backbone of many key laboratories in China. She also planned a China-Australia joint research center to promote in-depth cooperation between the two countries. Not sure how many Chinese researchers she had worked with in the past decades, O'Reilly noted that they had about 200 scientists across China and Australia at the peak of the work. "It's been very satisfying to see the young scientists at that time now become the leaders and mentoring their own young next generation," she added, saying they had made achievements that are only possible under the cooperation between Chinese and Australian scientists. Professor Sue O'Reilly gives a lecture at Nanjing University in 2018. (Photo provided by Sue O'Reilly/Xinhua) "Science across national borders is a better way to make a better world for all and for a more sustainable future, for our planet and society," she said. "I consider this award as a testament to China-Australia scientific cooperation and a shared vision for a future." She expected to see more cooperation in spite of changes in political relations between the two countries. "Science goes on, no matter what," the scientist said. "Science in China started thousands of years ago, and it is still going strong. How many political changes have there been in the world over 2,000 years?" "Every person does a small part. It's like a jigsaw puzzle," she said. "We start putting things into place, and we have ended up with a really significant change in the way we understand the earth, and the way we do prospecting for important minerals that we're going to need for the sustainable future. It's not the end of it. People will take our work and go on from there." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks at a press conference after a tripartite meeting in Antalya, Turkey, March 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Zhenbei) MOSCOW, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that it was still possible for Russia and Ukraine to reach an agreement at the upcoming negotiations. "There are still chances for an agreement," local media reported, citing Lavrov during a media interview. The foreign minister pointed out that Russia was committed to achieving a successful outcome at the upcoming consultations with Ukraine. The Russian and Ukrainian delegations will likely meet in Turkey on Tuesday, the Kremlin said Monday. The delegations have held three rounds of negotiations in person in Belarus since Feb. 28, and the fourth one started on March 14 via video conference. BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders attending a high-level meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday observed a moment of silence to mourn the victims of China Eastern Airlines plane crash. The moment of silence, proposed by Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, was observed at the start of a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. The China Eastern Airlines flight MU5735 aircraft crashed into a mountainous area in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on March 21. All 132 people on board were dead, according to the national emergency response headquarters for the accident. Investigation is still underway to find the cause of the crash. Western sanctions on Russia will affect everyone: Singaporean scholar CGTN) 13:32, March 28, 2022 After the onset of Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S. and its Western allies announced a series of sanctions against Russia. The U.S. and the EU have also reached an LNG supply deal to cut dependence on Russia. According to a Singaporean economist, the U.S. seeks its own interests by exploiting the situation, but in reality, both the U.S. and the world economy will suffer great losses. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a press conference after their meeting in Jerusalem, March 27, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken said on Sunday that his country has an "ironclad commitment" to Israel. The remark was made at a joint press conference after his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Jerusalem. "Deal or no deal, we will continue to work together and with other partners to counter Iran's destabilizing behavior in the region," said Blinken, whose regional tour also focuses on calming the U.S. allies in the Middle East over the emerging renewed nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). For his part, Bennett said that Israel is "concerned" about the U.S. intention to remove Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) from the U.S. list of "foreign terrorist organizations," adding he hopes the United States will listen to "concerned voices" from the region on the issue, according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office. The two officials also discussed Israeli efforts to mediate on the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the "warming in relations between Israel and the countries of the region, particularly the strengthening of the Abraham Accords." Blinken will later participate in a historic meeting with Arab foreign ministers from Bahrain, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt in the Negev Desert in southern Israel. Photo taken on March 27, 2022 shows China-aided humanitarian supplies in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. A batch of humanitarian supplies, provided by China's South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, in cooperation with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), was handed over to Afghanistan on Sunday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A batch of humanitarian supplies, provided by China's South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, in cooperation with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), was handed over to Afghanistan on Sunday. Speaking at a handover ceremony in Kabul, Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu said the Chinese government has been highly concerned about the Afghan people who are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, unrest and drought. Last year, the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund approved in time a request from the UNHCR on providing the vulnerable groups in Afghanistan with emergency shelter supplies and education support, and offered fund support, the Chinese ambassador said. With the efforts from the UNHCR, all the supplies have been purchased, and now are distributed in Kabul, Kandahar, Baghlan and Nangarhar provinces, among others, Wang said, adding the needy Afghans will get a relief with the supplies. The UNHCR's acting representative in Afghanistan Yumiko Takashima appreciated the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund for providing the fund support, saying the timely assistance will benefit more than 90,000 displaced Afghans and school children. Photo taken on March 27, 2022 shows China-aided humanitarian supplies in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. A batch of humanitarian supplies, provided by China's South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, in cooperation with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), was handed over to Afghanistan on Sunday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu (L, front) attends the handover ceremony of China-aided humanitarian supplies in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, March 27, 2022. A batch of humanitarian supplies, provided by China's South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, in cooperation with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), was handed over to Afghanistan on Sunday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday had an interview with media after concluding his trips to Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nepal. Wang said his trip to South Asia came at a time when the spillover effect of the Ukraine crisis has been constantly spreading and world peace and development are facing new challenges. The senior Chinese diplomat said China deeply felt the strong desire of South Asian countries to maintain the hard-won peace and tranquility in the region and accelerate post-pandemic economic recovery as well as their hope to strengthen strategic communication and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China. The visit consolidated the traditional friendship between China and South Asian countries, enhanced mutual understanding, deepened strategic mutual trust, clarified key cooperation directions and areas, and gathered broad consensus on solidarity, coordination and common development under new circumstances, he added. During his trip, Wang attended the Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the first time for a Chinese foreign minister to be invited for such a meeting, during which China and Islamic countries reached important consensus on a wide range of issues. The two sides agreed to deepen strategic communication and coordination, continue to work in solidarity in fighting against COVID-19, deepen cooperation in vaccine production and medicine research and development, jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality, and strengthen communication and coordination on implementing the Global Development Initiative, Wang noted. The two sides also agreed that it is of great urgency to promote a just settlement of regional hotspot issues and that the Palestinian question should not be forgotten or marginalized, he said, adding they both believe it is necessary to guide and promote the overall unity of developing countries, advocate true multilateralism, abandon the Cold War mentality, resist bloc confrontation and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. Wang also mentioned that he has reached important new consensus with the Pakistani government and military leaders on deepening strategic cooperation between the two countries under the current international and regional circumstances. China and Pakistan will carry forward their all-weather friendship, and their traditional friendship is unbreakable and rock solid, Wang said, adding the two countries also agreed to deepen all-round cooperation, and China welcomes Pakistan's deeper participation in China's new development pattern. They two countries vowed to safeguard international equity and justice, as well as agreed to practice true multilateralism, firmly oppose acts of bullying by powers, and resist the resurgence of the Cold War mentality. His visit to Afghanistan has three main objectives, including renewing the traditional friendship between the two peoples, observing the administration of the Afghan interim government, and promoting mutual understanding and building a foundation of mutual trust with the Afghan side through face-to-face exchanges, Wang said. The visit was intended to send a clear signal that the Afghan issue remains important on the current international peace and security agenda, especially for Afghanistan's neighboring countries, said the Chinese foreign minister, urging all parties to shoulder their due responsibilities and play a constructive role in this respect. In terms of China-India relations, Wang noted that the two countries are partners rather than rivals, and should help each other succeed instead of undercutting each other. As mature and rational neighbors, China and India should place the border issue in an appropriate position in bilateral relations, and should not let it define or even hinder the overall development of bilateral relations, he said. During his visit to India, Wang said he has most keenly felt that both sides agreed to adhere to the important consensus of "the two countries are not threats to each other but opportunities for each other's development" reached by the two heads of state, properly solve practical problems of common concern, handle and manage differences over the years, and promote the steady and sustainable development of bilateral ties. On his visit to Nepal, Wang said the two sides agreed that mutual understanding and support is not only a tradition of China-Nepal friendship, but also the underpinning of the strategic partnership of the two countries. The two sides also agreed to speed up the construction of the Belt and Road, ensure smooth access of points of entry by land between the two countries, discuss cross-border cooperation and gradually establish a multi-dimensional trans-Himalayan connectivity network, he continued. The two countries reiterated that they will uphold the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and the basic norms governing international relations, resist unilateralism and oppose power politics, Wang added. Noting the spillovers of the Russia-Ukraine conflict have been rippling across the globe, Wang said the general consensuses of relevant countries are as follows. Disputes should be settled peacefully through dialogue, and neither war or sanctions are good ways. The purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter should be upheld, and the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries should be safeguarded. All countries should advocate the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, safeguard the right of all countries to pursue an independent foreign policy, oppose political pressure and forced side taking, he continued, adding it is necessary to maintain the hard-won peace, stability and development in the region, resist the temptation to introduce bloc confrontation and create turbulence and tension in Asia. CAIRO, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Monday that Egypt counts on "its strategic relations with France" to secure some supplies of basic commodities like wheat, in case the Ukrainian crisis continues for a long time. Madbouly's remarks came during his meeting with visiting French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire in Cairo, according to a government statement. "Egypt and France share the same visions and concerns about the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis," said the Egyptian prime minister, noting the longer the crisis continues, the more dire consequences it will have on the global economy. For his part, Le Maire affirmed his country's full support for Egypt during the economic crisis the world is facing, especially with regard to the global commodity market. He said France produces about 35 million tonnes of wheat annually and exports about half of them, highlighting France's readiness to cooperate with Egypt in this field. Earlier in the day, Le Maire held talks with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, discussing means of furthering economic cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting, the Egyptian president highlighted "the strategic relations between Egypt and France," according to the Egyptian presidency. Danish Minister for Transport Trine Bramsen (Left) took part in the trial ride of e-methanol vehicles in Port of Aalborg on March 28, 2022. (Xinhua/ Lin Jing) Geely said that the aim of its collaboration with Denmark is the promotion of green e-methanol and green mobility in Europe. COPENHAGEN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese company Geely began test runs of green e-methanol vehicles in the Danish port of Aalborg on Monday. The two sedans and heavy truck run on e-methanol produced by Power to X (PtX) solution, a sustainable, carbon neutral, renewable fuel. Denmark wants to promote this type of fuel as it provides a solution for storing excess renewable power and stabilizing the country's power grid. Danish Minister for Transport Trine Bramsen, who took part in the test runs of the vehicles on Monday, called for more support for these technologies. "This is not about one single country, it is about the future of the whole world," Bramsen told Xinhua. "So I think it's important that we have strong cooperation and share knowledge in this field. This is not about ourselves, it's about our children and our grandchildren." Meanwhile, Geely said that the aim of its collaboration with Denmark is the promotion of green e-methanol and green mobility in Europe. The world's first M100 heavy truck fueled by e-methanol started trial runs in Port of Aalborg, northwest of Denmark on March 28, 2022. (Xinhua/ Lin Jing) The port of Aalborg is set to invest 2 billion Danish kroner (300 million U.S. dollars) in green transportation, the port's chairman Lasse Frimand Jensen told Xinhua. Recently, the Danish government announced a broad agreement on Power-to-X energy production that includes a government tender of 1.25 billion Danish kroner (184 million U.S. dollars). Denmark is leading in wind and solar renewable energy production. However, the challenge of such energies is that they are weather-dependent. The use of green methanol for commercial shipping has already been pioneered by Danish shipping giant Maersk. Denmark has also established a strong infrastructure for the production, storage, and transport of methanol fuel. MADRID, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Rising food and energy prices caused by the conflict in Ukraine, as well as a strike by Spanish truck drivers which entered its third week on Monday is leading to widespread problems in the food industry in Spain. Some dairy factories and breweries have been forced to halt production due to a lack of raw materials, while others have been unable to deliver their products to customers. The Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) has warned that the country's wine producers are currently facing a "perfect storm," which is posing a threat to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Spain's Federation of Food and Drinks Industries (FIAB) said that the transport strike had led to losses of over 600 million euros (659 million U.S. dollars), and was endangering about 100,000 jobs. "There are difficult times and moments of uncertainty, especially after two difficult years due to the (COVID-19) pandemic," Bertol Izagirre from the winery Bodegas Gorka Izagirre told Xinhua. The cost of bottles is expected to rise by 14 percent, he added. Monica Penas, owner of Velverty Wines in the Ribera de Duero wine region, told Xinhua that there is "a general price rise for all materials, from capsules, corks, and cardboard to glass, and there are delays in delivery of our products." "We have a lot of international clients, so it is really affecting us," said Casilda Gurucharri from winery Bodegas Mas de Mancuso, which is looking into solutions such as a greater focus on the national market. However, at least some of the price rises will be passed on to the consumer, she added. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez noted on Monday that his government will introduce a series of measures to combat rising prices. Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela (L) waves to supporters in Valletta, Malta, March 28, 2022. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) The Labour Party won the general election with 55.1 percent of the vote, against the Nationalist Party's (PN) 41.7 percent. This is the Labour Party's third consecutive general election win since 2013. VALLETTA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela took the oath of office on Monday after his Labour Party won Saturday's general election. He was sworn in during a ceremony at the Palace in Valletta presided over by Malta's President George Vella. Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela (C) attends his swearing-in ceremony presided over by Malta's President George Vella (1st R) in Valletta, Malta, March 28, 2022. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) The Labour Party won the general election with 55.1 percent of the vote, against the Nationalist Party's (PN) 41.7 percent. This is the Labour Party's third consecutive general election win since 2013. The election was characterized by a record low turnout since independence, at 85.5 percent. The official result, which includes the entire list of the 65 elected members of Parliament, was announced by the Electoral Commission on Monday. Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela (C) waves to supporters of the Labour Party in Hamrun, Malta, on March 27, 2022.(Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows a boat docking at Kribi Deep Seaport, Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) by Arison Tamfu YAOUNDE, March 28 (Xinhua) -- When the Chinese arrived in Cameroon in 2011 to begin building the first phase of Kribi Deep Seaport, the Central African nation was hopeful of having a new transport corridor that would link its vast southwestern coastal area and neighboring nations. The main existing port in the commercial hub of Douala, some 150 km to the north of Kribi was virtually worn out by congestion. To increase transport capacity, the China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) set out to construct the Kribi port, and in three years works were completed. The new port has stimulated the country's economy and provided relief for the harbor at Douala port, the country's most populous city, while also providing dock space for larger ships, said Alain Patrick Mpila Ayissi, Manager of Land development and Environment department of Port Authority of Kribi. "Since the construction works ended in 2014 and the start of port operations in 2018, there has been notable increase in economic growth. The first indicator is the hikes in the custom revenues as a result of the port. We left from 750 million XAF (about 1.26 million USD) to practically 150 billion XAF per annum," said Ayissi. As a cheap logistics mode, the port is a fundamental foundation of Cameroon's industrialization process, said Xu Huajiang, general manager of China Harbour Central Africa Division of CHEC who oversaw the construction of the first phase of the port. "So far, after Kribi (port) was founded, it has attracted a lot of external investment. For example, there is already a cocoa factory invested by Cote d'Ivoire. There are two cement plants under construction. Many logistics enterprises have settled in to build their own yards and warehouses. There are also some Chinese enterprises coming to discuss investment with them in this area," Xu said. Kribi port is located on the Atlantic coast some 285 km from the capital Yaounde. It is strategically positioned in the center of the Gulf of Guinea and is surrounded by the 262 square km Kribi Industrial Area, destined to host new industrial and logistical developments. With Cameroon being a growing market, Kribi is expected to become a regional hub for the African Atlantic coast. Ship-owners will no longer run the risk of offloading part of their cargo elsewhere before docking in Cameroon, said Ayissi. "With the coming of the Kribi port, Cameroon has once again placed herself as the port entry to the sub-region. This (the port) has added more value to certain industrial projects in Chad, Central African Republic and Congo," he added. As part of the project, CHEC also constructed the Kribi-Lolabe highway that will cater to the requirements of the port transportation and logistics and make a contribution to local prosperity. The highway which includes the construction of 20 bridges, the total length of which is 2 km will serve as an important traffic artery in the Kribi region. Currently, CHEC is busy constructing the Kribi Deep Sea Port Phase II. After the completion of the project, it is expected to become a large container transit port and comprehensive hub port in Central and West Africa. Xu revealed that during the process of port and highway construction, over 1,000 jobs had been provided. Cameroonian workers employed by CHEC, including Eric Defo Fotso, Larissa Ekale Koule and Fran Mbofris told Xinhua that building their country's largest port is an opportunity to update their own skills and contribute to the country's industrialization. "We have project coordinators with a lot of experience be it in administrative affairs, project management and I got to live the Chinese culture. We get to see different things from what we heard since childhood. Just working with them is like you travelled to China to learn about this (skills)," said Fotso, 32, who coordinates projects at the site. "Every nation, like Cameroon aspires to emerge. So it's an honor for us to have China and her expertise and who willingly accepted to share it with us," added 26-year-old Koule whose main assignment is to ensure that all onsite workers are in good health and that there are no job-related illnesses. "They (CHEC) have given us a great opportunity. Our livelihoods have improved significantly," said Mbofris who spent seven years in China teaching the English language and now works as an interpreter with CHEC. Ayissi said the Kribi port project is a glaring example of Cameroon's participation in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, adding that the country is committed to unlocking the potential of interlinked production networks and value chains. Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows cranes unloading containers at Kribi Deep Seaport, Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows the construction site of the breakwater at Kribi Deep Seaport, Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Alain Patrick Mpila Ayissi, manager of Land development and Environment department of Port Authority of Kribi, talks during an interview with Xinhua in Kribi, Cameroon, March 14, 2022. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows a boat docking at Kribi Deep Seaport, Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows the construction site of the breakwater at Kribi Deep Seaport, Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows a view of the highway built by the China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) for the transport of goods from Kribi Deep Seaport in Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows the construction site of the breakwater at Kribi Deep Seaport, Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows Eric Defo Fotso, engineer of the China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), working in his office in Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows trucks transporting containers at Kribi Deep Seaport, Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows cargo containers stored at Kribi Deep Seaport, Kribi, Cameroon. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Russia-Ukraine conflict continued on Monday, while Russian and Ukrainian delegations will hold a new round of face-to-face negotiations this week. Following are the latest developments of the situation: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Sunday agreed to hold the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Turkey's Istanbul city, the Turkish presidency said. The two leaders had a phone conversation on Sunday and discussed the latest situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the negotiation process, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. The two leaders "agreed that the next meeting of the negotiation teams of Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul," the statement said. - - - - Forest fires, which broke out around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to hostilities, cover more than 10,000 hectares, Ukrainian Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said Sunday. "We have recorded 31 fires, which caused an increased level of radioactive contamination in the air," Denisova wrote on Facebook. Ukrainian firefighters are unable to reach the area, which is controlled by Russian forces, Denisova added. - - - - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country stands ready for an all-for-all prisoner exchange with Russia before the end of hostilities, the presidential press service reported. "I believe that there is an agreement to exchange everyone for everyone, we have this number -- let's exchange for this number," Zelensky said in an interview with Russian media. He also noted that Ukraine wants to hand over the corpses of Russian soldiers to their relatives. - - - - Russian and Ukrainian delegations will hold a new round of face-to-face negotiations on March 29-30, head of Russia's negotiation team Vladimir Medinsky said on Sunday. "Today, another round of negotiations with Ukraine via video link took place. As a result, it was decided to meet in person on March 29-30," Medinsky, also an aide to the Russian president, said on Telegram. Meanwhile, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said Sunday that the next live round will be held in Turkey on March 28-30. Since Feb. 28, Russia and Ukraine have held three rounds of face-to-face peace talks and then a series of online discussions, but have failed to reach a major agreement. China, UNHCR provide humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan Xinhua) 15:56, March 28, 2022 KABUL, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A batch of humanitarian supplies, provided by China's South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, in cooperation with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), was handed over to Afghanistan on Sunday. Speaking at a handover ceremony in Kabul, Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu said the Chinese government has been highly concerned about the Afghan people who are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, unrest and drought. Last year, the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund approved in time a request from the UNHCR on providing the vulnerable groups in Afghanistan with emergency shelter supplies and education support, and offered fund support, the Chinese ambassador said. With the efforts from the UNHCR, all the supplies have been purchased, and now are distributed in Kabul, Kandahar, Baghlan and Nangarhar provinces, among others, Wang said, adding the needy Afghans will get a relief with the supplies. The UNHCR's acting representative in Afghanistan Yumiko Takashima appreciated the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund for providing the fund support, saying the timely assistance will benefit more than 90,000 displaced Afghans and school children. (Web editor: Peng yukai, Liang Jun) ANKARA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- At least three members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in a Turkish armed drone attack in northern Iraq, Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Monday. The PKK members were "neutralized" in the area of Turkey's "Operation Claw-Lightning," the ministry tweeted. The word "neutralize" is often used by Turkish authorities to refer to "terrorists" killed, wounded, or arrested during security operations. Turkey regularly conducts cross-border operations on PKK bases in northern Iraq. The ministry on Sunday said the Turkish forces killed three other PKK members in the Operation Claw-Thunderbolt zone. The joint Claw-Lightning and Claw-Thunderbolt are the ongoing operations of the Turkish Armed forces in Metina, Zap and Avashin-Basyan regions. Turkey's army has launched the operations in April 2021 while the country has been carrying out several ground operations and airstrikes in northern Iraq to target hideouts and bases of the PKK. The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for over 30 years, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people. BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Blaming others for what it is doing furtively has been a common practice of the United States, and perhaps that's because Washington is familiar with the underlying trickery. The recent scandal -- cyberattack tools deployed by the U.S. intelligence agency National Security Agency (NSA) -- is the latest example of the country's wicked acts. Last week, Chinese internet security firm 360 released the details of the QUANTUM attack system, a platform believed to be NSA's most powerful cyberattack tool. The revelations came amid Washington's increasing accusations against China of so-called cyberattack and cyber espionage, without a shred of substantial evidence. In contrast, the 360 report is quite extensive and well-founded. It detailed step by step how the U.S. spy agency unleashed cyber assaults, listing the specific components of this sophisticated tool, with codenames such as QUANTUMSERT, QUANTUMBOT, QUANTUMBISCUIT and QUANTUMPHANTOM. According to the report, indiscriminate hacking was being carried out and internet traffic of any users anywhere was hijacked, including users of sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Amazon as well as China's instant messaging platform QQ. This is the second time this month that a Chinese cyber-security firm has warned against the NSA's cyber attacks, which have targeted nearly 50 countries and regions worldwide, including China, for more than a decade. The NSA espionage program is nothing new. In 2013, investigative reports by the German news outlet, Der Spiegel, revealed that the United States had placed bugs in the EU representation in Washington, and infiltrated the computer network of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries using the "Quantum Insert" method. And when exposed the United States plays its usual trick of "thief crying stop thief." U.S. cyber attacks against China have gravely endangered the security of China's key infrastructure, a large amount of personal data and commercial and technological secrets, and seriously undermined the mutual trust between China and the United States in cyberspace. As an old Chinese saying goes, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." At the very least, one should refrain from harming others while leveling false allegations. Labour Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) president, Linda Masarira has said the Saturday by-elections, which were characterised by a low voter turnout, were not free and fair although her party accepted defeat. Zimbabwe held by-elections over the weekend to fill 117 local authority and 28 parliamentary seats that had fallen vacant over the past two years. In a statement, Masarira said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) failed to disseminate key and critical information to candidates and chief election agents in real-time. ZEC really needs to reform and have professional non-polarised staff working courteously with all stakeholders, she said. Masarira said her party accepted the results even though the pre-electoral period was marred by a lot of irregularities. This is because we together with other political players had to stand guard from ballot processes and secure the safety of our votes during the process. The elections were not free, neither were they fair nor credible because the responsible institution short-changed both the voter and political players, she said. The LEAD president said her party is now putting more effort into educating the nation on the importance of voting and participating in governance issues. As LEAD we are now putting more effort in recruitment, organizing, mobilization, and educating the nation on the importance of voting and participating in governance issues. Small as we are, we are David and our case is going to be a David versus Goliath case in Africa. This struggle is a unique struggle that needs a unique approach by unique leaders. Our war is against poverty. Our struggle is for socioeconomic rights. Our mandate is to democratize, depolarize, devolution, and develop our Zimbabwe, she said. Masarira added that her team was doing in-depth research in all constituencies and wards. Now that we know there is appalling voter apathy, which on its own is a critical insight that we are grabbing and will use to our advantage. Whilst others are celebrating, we have assigned five teams on the ground to do research on why are people not going to vote in mass, why does this apathy cut across all divides, how to restore confidence in the electoral process to the electorates, how to ignite these dormant votes to our advantage and what do we lack that can strengthen our cause and struggle, she said. She added: We are expecting our teams to be done in a months time, then we will interrogate the Information and come up with programs that emanate from an informed platform. Masarira said the by-elections brought the necessary step towards success. They are a great eye-opener to those who deserve to see. No clever strategies can sustain us but informed research-rich strategies. She added that they believe that they have what it takes to be the third voice in Zimbabwes political economy and the third force which will transform the political arena from politics of personalities to politics of ideology and from politics of patronage to politics of issues and development. THE MDC Alliance led by Douglas Mwonzoras political future is in limbo after it failed to win a single parliamentary or local government seat in the by-elections held at the weekend. Party officials yesterday failed to respond to media enquiries on the back of unconfirmed reports that Mwonzora had been suspended from the party with immediate effect. The suspension was announced in a letter, whose authenticity could not be confirmed at the time of going to print, addressed to Mwonzora dated March 27, 2022 by ZimPF secretary-general and alliance secretariat co-ordinator, Marakia Bomani. Mwonzora, however, is scheduled to hold a Press conference today. By-elections for the National Assembly and local government seats were caused mainly by Mwonzoras recall of officials from a rival faction, but recriminations of the poor performance were immediate if the suspension is true, coming before the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced the full set of results. Its current Members of Parliament and councillors, including Mwonzora himself, were elected under the leadership of Nelson Chamisa. The party faces an uncertain future leading to the 2023 polls. When contacted for comment, Mwonzoras spokesperson Lloyd Damba flatly refused to comment on the election outcome. I do not talk to the media, you know that, dont call me, he said. Analysts are, however, of the view that the by-elections have left the party exposed. The by-elections now confirm who the major political parties are, the Mwonzora aspect was not going to pull out a lot of votes, analyst Vivid Gwede said. This shows that he did not have the capacity and as a viable project his party might be in doubt, another analyst Prolific Mataruse said. Rashweat Mukundu said Zanu PF tried to re-establish one-party dominance through the backdoor by splitting the opposition. That seems to have failed, meaning that we are back to where we were in the past, a political space dominated by two parties. This also marks the beginning of the end of the political career of Mwonzora and unfortunately, the end of the name MDC which is a historic name, Mukundu said. Newsday Ethan Hawke is over the moon to be part of a Marvel series unlike any other. The four-time Oscar nominee says he enjoyed bringing a mystical and transcendental vibe to the superhero franchise with the new show Moon Knight, portraying a villainous cult leader who wants to purge the world of sinners. Advertisement Its not connected to the Avengers, Hawke told the Daily News. Its not one that people know much about, so we had a long leash, and we had a lot of freedom to carve our own path and to create a new legend, a new myth. Ethan Hawke as Arthur Harrow in "Moon Knight." (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios./Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios) Hawke stars in the series, debuting Wednesday on Disney+, opposite Oscar Isaac, whose Steven Grant is a simple souvenir shop salesman with dissociative identity disorder. Advertisement Stevens life is flipped upside down when he realizes hes sharing a body with a mercenary who serves the Egyptian moon god Khonshu and suit ups as a skilled warrior known as the Moon Knight. His twist-filled journey brings him face to face with Hawkes Arthur Harrow, a religious zealot who follows the Egyptian goddess Ammit. If the hero is genuinely struggling with mental illness, then what would be the most threatening thing to an unbalanced person? (It) would be a balanced person, Hawke said. Somebody whos even. Somebody whos constant. Somebody whos penetrating. Somebody whos unbroken. That was my starting place, trying to build this character. The Moon Knight character was originally introduced in the Marvel comic books in 1975. Hawke, a longtime New York resident who studied at NYU, says it was easy to get excited for Moon Knight, which marks his first role within the interweaving Marvel Cinematic Universe of movies and series. Ethan Hawke (right) with Oscar Isaac in "Moon Knight." (Csaba Aknay) I bumped into Oscar at a coffee shop in Brooklyn during the pandemic, Hawke recalled. It was freezing. We all had masks on, and you couldnt contain the electricity coming out of this guy about how excited he was to play this part. I just thought, all right, this will be an adventure worth taking. Hawke, 51, says Isaacs preparation for the role included studying dissociative identity disorder very seriously and frequently speaking about his research with his co-stars. Oscar Isaac stars as Moon Knight. (Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios./Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios) Were both New Yorkers and we kind of come at acting in that old-school New York actor sensibility, Hawke said of Isaac. Thats the model in both of our brains. We both like to work. We both like to rehearse and talk and dream together, so the process of working with him was extremely comfortable to me. Hawke whose past roles include Training Day, Boyhood and the Before trilogy considers 2008s Iron Man his favorite Marvel film due to star Robert Downey Jr.s ability to give a three-dimensional performance inside the spectacle of a superhero movie. Advertisement Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 27 Ethan Hawke attends the premiere of Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight" at El Capitan Theatre on March 22, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Leon Bennett/Getty Images) He believes Moon Knight gave Isaac the chance to do the same thing with his troubled hero. (Isaacs character) has a fractured reality and creates an unreliable narrator because he actually doesnt understand whats happening to him, Hawke said. As a filmmaker, as a storyteller, this is an exciting story to tell because you never know whats real and not real, and whats his imagination and whats not. [ Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld share how Hawkeye expands one Marvel heros story, and begins anothers ] The series offered Hawke plenty of marvelous moments, too. The set was a work of art, with fountains and gold-painted walls and Egyptian iconography everywhere. Hawke said. It was so beautiful, and then Oscar Isaac walks in dressed as the Moon Knight, and you felt like you were in a walking dream. It was a 15-degree January morning, and Paul Santell stood outside in Sirkka Dobsons Queens backyard, lying in wait. Shivering in the bitter midwinter cold, he waited for hours till they came out of hiding, one by one, and walked into his cages, lured by food. Advertisement His targets? Stray cats. Paul Paul the Cat Guy Santell in Queens on March 24, 2022. (Shawn Inglima/for New York Daily News) It was just miserable. I wont lie: it was brutal, said Santell, 45, of Queens, who goes by the moniker Paul the Cat Guy. Some of them wouldnt come out until they smell the food, and when its that cold the food can freeze within minutes. Advertisement It took him all weekend, but he finally got the cats, including one kitten with a rare paw deformity that would likely have died if left alone. Santell then brought them to be neutered, probably preventing several litters of kittens from being born the following summer, and did so without harming any of them. Sunny, a one-year-old cat up for adoption. (Shawn Inglima/for New York Daily News) The whole thing is to prevent the future abuse of cats, said Santell, who works the evening shift as a Manhattan building supervisor. For Dobson, Santell was a lifesaver. She didnt know what to do when a family of strays started living in her yard, but he fixed her problem. Dobson even adopted the kitten with the paw issue and named it Nemo. It even has its own Instagram. Now we dont have to worry about them having more kittens, Dobson said. Using his rare skill, Santell captures the cats, gets them neutered, vaccinated and treated for any diseases, all at his own cost. Then he returns them to where he found them. He can help up to several hundred cats a year live better lives and prevent communities from being overrun by stray cats. For that, Santell has been nominated for a Daily News Hometown Heroes award in the outstanding citizen category. Sunny, a one-year-old cat saved by Paul "Paul the Cat Guy" Santell. (Shawn Inglima/for New York Daily News) Its something that needs to be done, and in a lot of cases, Im the only one who can do it, he said. Advertisement Santell uses the trap, neuter and release approach. Instead of euthanizing the cats, the goal is to let them live but prevent them from having more kittens. Animal control experts say the TNR method is effective at controlling animals. Trapping and killing cats simply allows new strays to move into a neighborhood and the cycle starts again, according to ForAllAnimals.org, a national humane organization. Santells mission started in 2014 when he noticed a group of stray cats living on the grounds of an apartment complex near his home in Astoria. Advertisement He started feeding them, but quickly realized he wasnt doing anything to permanently help the animals or the residents who considered them to be pests. I wanted a more sustainable solution, he recalled. After attending a TNR training class, Santell returned one night with five rented cage traps, expecting to scoop up all the cats in an hour or so. He found out its not so simple. They are so savvy. They just walked around looking at the cages but wouldnt get in, he recalled. Santell worked diligently to improve his trapping skills. He also poured his savings into his mission, which requires paying for the cats to be neutered out of his own pocket. He eventually set up a charity named Paul the Cat Guy to help raise money. Now, Santell spends his weekends and mornings crisscrossing the boroughs to respond to requests for help from public housing developments and leafy blocks of single-family homes, like Dobsons in Jamaica Estates. 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. > For him its like an addiction. He cant stop, said Dobson, a restaurant worker. There are others who do it. But not as religiously as him. ***** Do you know a Hometown Hero? Every Monday, the Daily News will run a weekly feature in print and online profiling a Hometown Hero in several categories first responders (police officers, firefighters, EMTs), health care workers, transit workers, educators and extraordinary everyday citizens nominated by our readers. For more information on how to nominate someone for a Daily News Hometown Heroes award, go to nydailynews.com/new-york/hometown-heroes. A Manhattan judge demanded the Trump Organization comply Monday with imminent deadlines as a company lawyer lamented the state Attorney Generals probe had tentacles everywhere. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ordered the Trump outfit to comply with New York AG Letitia James subpoenas for electronic evidence by April 29. Advertisement The judge added that a digital forensics firm helping the Trump business turn over evidence to the AG must deliver detailed weekly reports pinpointing which devices have been searched and which are left. I want specific information about these searches. I want detailed reports, said Engoron. Advertisement Were winding down this whole investigation, the judge added. We can all agree we want this to end at some point for numerous reasons. Former President Donald Trump (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images) Engorons clerk said the bare bones reports HaystackID compiled thus far gave no indication how close the Trump Organization was to turning over all relevant evidence. Lawyers from the Attorney Generals office said theyd waited more than two years for Trump, his company and his kids to comply with demands for evidence. Trumps lawyers insisted the AG left no stone unturned. Your honor, weve produced 900,000 documents, 6 million pages, provided by more than 100 witnesses, Trump Org lawyer Larry Rosen 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. > This is not something we want to delay, but their investigation just continues to grow and expand. The tentacles are everywhere. New York Attorney General Letitia James (Michael M Santiago/GettyImages/Getty Images) James civil probe is examining whether Trump and his company manipulated the value of properties to tax authorities, lenders, and insurers to enrich themselves with favorable loans, insurance coverage and tax deductions, according to court filings. Advertisement The probe could result in a civil lawsuit against Trump, his company, and his adult children, who have appealed Engorons ruling allowing James to question them under oath. Assistant AG Austin Thompson said an agreement between the two sides expires April 30, underscoring the urgency of the court-ordered deadlines. After that date, new legal issues could arise about bringing certain civil charges. Thompson anticipated the parties would be litigating statute-of-limitations issues high and low. A statute of limitations sets the maximum time after an event that a lawsuit can be brought. Theres no one event, Thompson said. There are different courses of conduct. The mother of a 6-year-old boy slammed in the head with a laptop on a Manhattan street by a homeless man says the oft-arrested suspect needs mental health help not more time behind bars. Sara Bonaccorsi, 25, was walking with her son near W. 114th St. and Manhattan Ave., just outside Morningside Park, when a stranger attacked her son Dominic Bonaccorsi-Alvarez without warning about 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Advertisement We didnt even see him coming, Bonaccorsi told the Daily News. He came up from behind and just totally unprovoked he hit my son over the head with the laptop. Police happened to be nearby and arrested Michael Johnson, 60, before he could hurt anyone else. Advertisement Little b-----d. I hit him over the head and he cant prove s---! Johnson told an NYPD sergeant right after his arrest, according to a criminal complaint. The mother is meeting with a prosecutor on Thursday to discuss the incident but said the last place Johnson needs to be is behind bars. I dont believe in criminalizing mental health so I hope that this man is sentenced to a mental health facility where he can be treated, Bonaccorsi said. Instead of just being thrown into prison, where as a mentally ill person he will likely face abuse. Dominic, who at first thought he was hit by a tree branch, was not badly hurt. He was treated at St. Lukes Hospital for a bruise on the back of the head but does not have a concussion. Young Dominic Bonaccorsi-Alvarez was injured after being struck by a laptop. Hes been mostly quiet since then, said his mom, who decided to keep the first-grader home from school Monday as he recovers. Bonaccorsi is a student at Columbia University studying human evolutionary biology and has long worried about safety, given the stabbing deaths of student Tessa Majors in 2019 in Morningside Park and teaching assistant Davide Giri last December near Columbus Ave. and W. 110th St. On Sunday, Bonaccorsi and her boyfriend, Matias Alvarez, also a Columbia student, left their Manhattan apartment with their son with the idea of enjoying the weather in the park. They got as far as the corner before Dominic was struck. Advertisement Dominic Bonaccorsi-Alvarez was injured after being struck by a laptop. Thats when Bonaccorsis maternal instinct kicked in. [The attacker] was still holding the laptop up like he wanted to hit someone else, Bonaccorsi said. So I kind of charged at him and the police happened to be right across the street so within like 20 feet he was arrested. Johnson, charged with felony assault and endangering the welfare of a child, has about 60 arrests on his record dating back to 1986, and has served three stints in state prison, police said. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Johnson wore a grimy blue track suit and held his pants up during his arraignment in Manhattan criminal court Monday. He muttered denials to his lawyer that he didnt have any felonies in his past, though his record shows otherwise. Judge Robert McDonald ordered him held on $25,000 cash bail or $75,000 bond. Back on Dec. 6, he was arrested after he was caught on video scrawling a swastika on a window at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and stealing five COVID-19 tests from a Duane Reade inside the terminal, according to a criminal complaint. Advertisement He was charged with aggravated harassment, criminal mischief as a hate crime, petit larceny and possession of stolen property. The charges are not bail-eligible, so Judge Martinez Alonso put him on supervised release. He skipped a Jan. 5 court date, and has been wanted on a bench warrant, according to prosecutors. In September 2016, he was conditionally released by parole after doing three years for a burglary conviction, records show. Before that he served four years for felony assault and was paroled in November 2007. And prior to that, he served four years on another burglary conviction. Bonaccorsi said more funding is needed to deal with the mentally ill and that its clear not paying the issue enough attention will contribute to more crime. Malik Rahman got the drugs that killed him in the last place youd expect a Bronx NYPD holding cell at the hands of a fentanyl-dealing drug gang raking in fistfuls of cash, court records say. Rahman, 54, overdosed Aug. 25 after another arrested suspect slipped a baggie of the highly toxic drug past three patdown searches by cops in the South Bronxs 40th Precinct stationhouse. Advertisement Rahmans death came as cops and federal agents were in the midst of linking a series of overdoses to the drug ring, which peddled its wares at the intersection of E. 142nd St. and Brook Ave., six blocks from the stationhouse. Malik Rahman (Courtesy of Moesha Rahman) In February, the investigation led to six arrests, including alleged ring leaders Jesus Cabrera, 42, and Michael Amaya, 40. Federal prosecutors tied Rahmans death and eight other fatal overdoses in the Bronx to the gang, court records show. Advertisement Eight of the overdoses took place between March and December 2021 and were linked to packages of the drug stamped with the brand Supreme, court filings show. The ninth overdose in January 2022 was linked to another of the gangs brands, Thriller. The scope and impact of the [rings] narcotics trafficking operation cannot be overstated, Manhattan federal prosecutors David Robles and Kaylan Lasky wrote in a court filing. The [rings] persistent distribution of fentanyl has wreaked havoc throughout the Bronx over the past year. After Rahmans death, the drug ring didnt pause its operations. Text messages seized from Amayas phone Aug. 31, six days later, contain urgent requests to resupply the fentanyl stock for more street deals, the court filings show. Rahmans family learned of the busts from a Daily News reporter. I was really relieved that my dad finally got justice. What they did to him he did not deserve, said his daughter Moesha Rahman. But I still have a lot of questions, the same ones I had before, she said. How did they let the drugs get into the cell? An internal NYPD investigation is continuing into what happened in the stationhouse. Court documents and law enforcement sources helped The News piece together some of the story. Malik Rahman died Aug. 25 in a cell at the 40th Precinct stationhouse in the Bronx after using fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid smuggled in by another prisoner. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) The investigation of the ring was sparked on Nov. 20, 2020, when cops stopped a 2015 Audi Q7 with tinted windows in the South Bronx. Advertisement Inside, officers found a jar of marijuana, $50,000 in cash and a bag of 2,180 heroin baggies mixed with rice used to keep the drugs dry, court records show. Amaya, the driver, was arrested on possession charges. Federal court documents show drugs, cash and a gun seized as part of a Bronx drug crackdown. (Handout) After he got out of jail the circumstances of his release are not clear investigators saw Amaya conduct drug deals, court documents say. The drug packets he sold were variously branded Anonymous, Off-White, and Thriller. Investigators then began focusing on Cabrera, who they believe led the ring. Cabrera had been selling heroin in bulk for more than a decade and was hooked up with Amaya since 2019, the feds say. Their business boomed. The day before Rahman died on Aug. 24, 2021 Cabrera texted Amaya a ledger of sales showing proceeds of $111,150 in just a few days, court records show. The South Bronx, where the ring plied its trade, routinely leads the city in overdose deaths, the city Health Department says. Advertisement Fentanyl, 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine, has been the top substance involved in overdose deaths citywide for each of the past four years. The drug was present in 1,580 of New Yorks 2,062 overdose deaths in 2020 77% of the total. Fentanyl is often mixed with varying amounts of heroin or cocaine, making the strength of a given dose unpredictable and dangerous. Alberto Concepcion was working for a drug ring that was making hundreds of thousands of dollars dealing cocaine, fentanyl and heroin from that non-descript intersection in the South Bronx, the feds have alleged. (Handout) Some of the drugs sold by Cabrera and Amaya allegedly were put on the street by Alberto Concepcion. On Aug. 25, Conception allegedly sold drugs to a man who was taken to the 40th Precinct stationhouse. Right around the same time, Rahman was being arrested following a fight with a girlfriend in the Bronx transitional housing facility where he lived. Rahman was stabbed in the fight but arrested anyway. Cops frisked Concepcions customer three times and found contraband each time, sources familiar with the case said. Then the customer was put in the holding cell with Rahman, said the sources. Neither the NYPD nor federal officials would provide the customers name or other details about him. Advertisement In the cell, Concepcions customer pulled a glassine baggie from his rectum and he and Rahman snorted the drugs it held, the sources said. Rahman began to feel ill and went into convulsions. Officers used a defibrillator to try to revive him before taking him to a local hospital themselves, the sources said. NYPD guidelines state that the desk officer is supposed to direct a cop to watch the holding cell at all times. Questions remain about how much time elapsed before police noticed Rahmans condition. Early reports that Rahman was unattended for as long as two hours remain unconfirmed by authorities. The police should have been more aware of the inmates in the holding cell, checking on them every 15 minutes, Jamilla Rahman, Maliks niece, told The News. Someone wasnt doing their job. Malik Rahman (Courtesy of Moesha Rahman) The city medical examiner concluded that Rahman overdosed from a mixture of fentanyl and benzodiazepine, an anti-anxiety drug which acts as a sedative and increases the danger when used with opioids. Advertisement Rahmans daughter Bianca Harris, 32, said her dad was a drinker but not a regular drug user. He was many things, but he was not a drug addict, Harris said. He would never have been like, Im going to do it just to do it. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Law enforcement officials declined to reveal any details about the other eight overdose deaths blamed on the drug ring allegedly run by Cabrera. Nicholas Biase, a spokesman with the U.S. attorneys office, declined to provide the dates or general locations of the eight deaths. Requests to interview an NYPD official about the case were also denied. The six suspects arrested in February have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. Cabrera, Amaya and Concepcion are being held in Brooklyns Metropolitan Detention Center. All I can say is my client is charged with one death, said Amayas lawyer Javier Solano. I have not even conceded that my client is responsible for that death. One is one too many, but I dont understand why the government is saying there are more, when they havent charged him with any more. Advertisement Lawyers for Cabrera and Concepcion did not return phone calls. Rahmans family has filed a $21 million notice of intent to sue with the city, records show. The notice alleges cops didnt keep watch on the holding cell. [Rahman] was unresponsive for a significant amount of time and [police] simply ignored [him] until it was too late, the claim alleges. A man working in a Queens pawn shop was beaten and critically wounded during a robbery Monday afternoon, police said. The 60-year-old victim was attacked at the Global Pawn Shop on Jamaica Ave. and 179th St. about 1 p.m. Though early information suggested he had been shot, police on Monday night said the robber repeatedly hit the man in the head with a metal rod. Advertisement A man was rushed to the hospital after he was beaten in the head during a robbery at the Global Pawn Shop at 178-22 Jamaica Ave. in Queens on Monday. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) Medics took him to Jamaica Hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition, cops said. Its not clear what the attacker stole, police said. Advertisement Police have not yet arrested the robber. U.S. President Joe Biden attends a press conference at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) For Europe, a failure to peacefully coexist with neighbouring Russia may spell ages of challenges and woes. "Everybody is convinced that Europe is in danger." For U.S., a weaker Europe serves its interest. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has offered the country an opportunity to reinforce its dominant role in the European security order, and possibly revive the so-called "American Era." BEIJING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Prior to U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Europe, a display of "unity," the European Union rolled out a "Strategic Compass" as a guide to strengthen the bloc's security and defense policy. The plan of action, ratified on Monday, is widely seen as a move for the EU to cut dependence on Washington for defense, and realize strategic autonomy amid a deteriorating security environment, as a conflict has been flaring up between Ukraine and Russia. "Today I think everybody is convinced that Europe is in danger," Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, addressed a recent press conference. In fact, it is Washington that has dragged Europe into this dangerous quagmire. A staff member hangs a U.S. national flag before U.S. President Joe Biden arrives for the European Council meeting in Brussels, Belgium, March 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng) The United States, in utter disregard of Russia's legitimate concerns, drove five waves of NATO expansion eastward all the way to Russia's doorstep, incessantly squeezed Russia's security space and challenged the country's strategic bottom line until a military conflict broke out between Russia and Ukraine. Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Washington has rushed to fan the flames, pushing other Western countries to join it in providing Ukraine with money and weapons, and pound Russia with all-round and indiscriminate sanctions. Analysts say that for Washington, the fallout of an escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict is well foreseeable, but nearly painless, because it does not bear the brunt. Europe does. Now the pain has become increasingly acute -- soaring food and energy prices, mounting security concerns and a sudden influx of refugees, among others -- a heavy price to pay. Fuel prices are displayed at a gas station in Paris, France, March 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) A weaker Europe also serves U.S. interest. In the wake of America's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, many Western political pundits predicted that "the American era is ending." The Russia-Ukraine conflict has offered the United States an opportunity to reinforce its dominant role in the European security order, and possibly revive the so-called "American Era." And it seems that Washington's fear-mongering has worked. Some Europeans countries, despite having no strong will for Ukraine's NATO accession, have beefed up their national defense since the conflict, convinced that the Ukrainian crisis is a security crisis for Europe as a whole and NATO is what they can count on. "The Russian invasion has bonded America to Europe more tightly than at any time since the Cold War," the New York Times opined in a recent article. Perhaps the Europeans need to seriously rethink whether a wantonly expanding NATO is truly conducive to peace and stability in Europe in the long run. The newly approved "Strategic Compass" offers a clue that the EU is well aware of its need of stronger strategic autonomy, not weaker. Photo taken on March 23, 2022 shows British coins in Basingstoke, Britain. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua) After all, Europe is Europe, not America. A failure to peacefully coexist with neighbouring Russia may spell ages of challenges and woes. Unlike the United States, Europe can not afford an immediate ban of oil and gas imports from its traditional key energy supplier of Russia, as was recently signaled by the French presidential palace. From long-arm jurisdiction over European enterprises to slapping tariffs in the name of "national security," a self-serving Washington barely hesitates to throw allies under the bus if needed. Thierry de Montbrial, founder and executive chairman of the French Institute for International Relations, said that the Russia-Ukraine conflict awakens Europe to the importance of "taking its destiny into its own hands." The time has come for European policymakers to sober up to the high-stake reality. They need to reposition the EU in terms of defense, and truly obtain strategic autonomy so that they can steer the bloc towards a more secure future. A 19-year-old Rikers Island detainee was beaten and slashed after correction staff moved him to a chaotic unit where other detainees somehow got into his locked cell and left him unconscious and bleeding on the floor, his mother tells the Daily News. Marquise Thomas of Far Rockaway, Queens, suffered numerous slash wounds on his legs, back, thighs and neck in the Feb. 20 assault at the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island, according to his mother Trina Thomas, who says for weeks after the attack the Correction Department rebuffed her attempts to visit him. Advertisement I want to know why would they move him, and then how they got in his cell at 1:30 in the morning. They could have murdered him in his sleep, said Trina Thomas, 43. He said he was cut over 100 times. The doctors said he was lucky to be alive. Trina Thomas, in her Far Rockaway home, displays a photo of her son Marquise Thomas, who was attacked at Rikers Island. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) She said her sons account of the ordeal began with officers pulling him out of his relatively peaceful unit at the Davoren Center about 10 p.m. on Feb. 19, telling him, Youre going to have a fight, and if anyone gets stabbed or hurt bad, it wont matter because the cameras are out. Advertisement He tried to refuse, but was taken anyway with four other detainees to another unit where roughly eight inmates were causing a disturbance. In the midst of the chaos, he was put in a locked cell but at about 1:30 a.m. the raucous detainees somehow got through the locked door and attacked him, his mom said. He heard some loud noise and his [cell door] was being opened, she said. He tried to pull it shut, but they come in. The COs [correction officers] werent stopping it. Then, they were stabbing him in the hands. They beat him, stabbing him in his legs, thighs, and cut up his legs and thigh area. Hes laying in the fetal position. Thomas told his mother he passed out from blood loss as Emergency Services officers with pepper spray arrived to quell the disturbance. Those officers found him unconscious in the cell. He was then taken to Bellevue Hospital for two days. Marquise Thomas, a 19-year-old Rikers Island detainee, was beaten and repeatedly slashed after correction staff moved him to a chaotic unit where other detainees somehow got into his locked cell in the predawn hours and left him unconscious and bleeding on the floor. In a statement, the Correction Department did not answer specific questions about Thomas slashing, but confirmed he was hospitalized and said the agency is pursuing charges against the detainees involved. A spokeswoman said staff could be disciplined once an investigation is concluded. We take assaults on people in our custody very seriously and we will not tolerate any form of violence in our facilities, correction spokeswoman Danielle DeSouza said. Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson, a Democrat who represents Thomas district, called for an independent investigation. Advertisement The job description for correction officers is very clear: Theres a duty to ensure inmate safety, and we did not see that happen here, he said. Its a tragedy, but it speaks to the culture of violence there. We have a jail system thats not working. Trina Thomas in her Far Rockaway home, Wednesday, March 23. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) The incident comes as violence in New York Citys jails continues to be a significant problem, with the rate of violence seven to eight times greater than in other municipal jail agencies, according a March 16 report by the federal monitor overseeing the jails. The monitor said there were more inmate fights in 2021 than in 2016, when the jail population was 40% higher. And there were 48 slashings in January, the second highest in any month since the monitor was installed in 2016. Staff use of force also has increased in each year since 2016, the monitor said. An unfortunate and dangerous side effect of these high rates of use of force and violence is that they have become normalized, the monitor wrote. These high rates are not typical, they are not expected, they are not normal. Rikers Island (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) Thomas was arrested Sept. 9 for four armed robberies of livery cab drivers in Queens and Manhattan last August and September and ordered held without bail. Advertisement He claimed to cops that the alleged gun used in the robberies was actually a cell phone case made to look like a gun and blamed a female accomplice, court records show. Hes pleaded not guilty. Marquises defense lawyer, Risa Beth Procton, of Legal Aid declined to comment on the criminal case. Thomas mother was on vacation in Hawaii and didnt find out about the attack until three days later on Feb. 24, when her oldest son Michael Smith called to tell her. Smith, 26, said he was devastated when he learned about it from a friend. His legs were cut open. He got 30 stitches in his legs, 20 in his back, he said. He was having trouble walking and stuff like that. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Trina Thomas then repeatedly called the Correction Department, but couldnt get much information. Over the next month, she tried to visit her son, only to be rebuffed without explanation. Calls to the mayors office and 311 also went nowhere. Out of frustration, she turned to Assemblyman Anderson, a former community activist who grew up in the same neighborhood. But even Anderson had trouble getting information from the Correction Department. Advertisement By pushing and prodding, we were able to at least get him a few minutes on the phone, which is totally unacceptable. But it speaks to that culture that is festering on Rikers Island, Anderson said. Since the assault, the worried mom has only been able to see Marquise once at a March 9 court date for less than 15 minutes. He could barely walk, and they wouldnt give him a cane, Trina Thomas said. They had two officers helping him in and out of the room. She last spoke to him for just three minutes Thursday. Finally, after The News contacted the Correction Department, the agency called her to schedule an in-person visit. Marquise Thomas is now in 23-hour a day lockdown in the West Facility, a jail sometimes used for inmates with communicable diseases. Robbers ambushed a Texas father and son at a car wash Friday, killing the man and wounding his son, police in Houston said. At 9:42 p.m. officers responded to reports of a shooting, the Houston Chronicle reported. They arrived to find a man in his 40s or 50s dead, and the son wounded. Advertisement Houston Police are on scene on Friday, March 25, 2022. (Houston Police) The two were washing their pickup truck in one of the two bays when two men in ski masks ambushed and robbed them, police told KTRK-TV. One of the men began pistol whipping the son. He ran away, and one would-be robber shot him in the leg. Once that happened, the second suspect, also armed with a pistol, turned and shot the father in the car wash bay, Cmdr. Michael Chaney told KTRK. Advertisement Both suspects ran away on foot. The son called paramedics and directed them to his father, who could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not identify the victims, according to KHOU-TV, and are still seeking the suspects. The son, whose age was not released, is expected to recover. Police spoke to one witness who heard shots, and are reviewing surveillance footage, KTRK reported. A missing hiker was found apparently mauled to death by a grizzly in the Montana wilderness, authorities announced Saturday. Craig Clouatre, 40, of Livingston, Montana, had been missing since setting out for a hike last Wednesday with a friend, possibly in search of antler sheds, the Sheriffs Office in Park County in the southern part of the state said. They were in the Six Mile Creek area of the Absaroka Mountains, north of Yellowstone National Park, on the Montana side. Advertisement Park County authorities said Friday, March 25, 2022, that a hiker was killed in the area in a suspected encounter with a grizzly bear. (Matthew Brown/AP) After an extensive search this morning we have located Craig. It appears he had an encounter with a grizzly and unfortunately did not survive, Sheriff Brad Bichler wrote in a statement on Friday. We will continue to work through the afternoon to bring Craig home. Please keep his family and all those involved in your thoughts and prayers. The sheriffs office had been notified of an overdue hiker when Clouatres friend returned to their car after they became separated, and Clouatre did not. Rescuers spent all day Thursday searching with on-the-ground teams in the Absaroka Mountains and helicopters overhead searching diligently about 30 miles south of Livingston, Montana. Area residents also volunteered, reported The Livingston Enterprise. Advertisement Officers were working to bring the mans body back to his family, Bichler said. Clouatre grew up in Massachusetts and moved to Montana about 20 years ago, his father told The Associated Press. He stayed when he met Jamie, who he would marry. He left behind his wife and three young children. The mountains that Clouatre loved to hike in lie along the Yellowstone River, with dense forests housing bears and other wildlife. Dangerous encounters with humans are rare, AP said, though at least eight people have been killed by grizzlies in the Yellowstone region since 2010. His friend Anne Tanner said the familys home had burned down just a couple of years earlier and that they were just getting their new one fully set up. He was a joy to have as a son all the way around, his father, David Clouatre, told AP. He was a good man, a good, hardworking family man. With News Wire Services President Biden Monday stuck to his guns Monday when it comes to Vladimir Putin. Refusing to apologize for his comment that the Russian strongman cannot remain in power, Biden insisted that he was only speaking from the heart about Putins devastation of Ukraine. Advertisement Im not walking anything back, Biden said. I was expressing the moral outrage at the actions of this man, the brutality. Its outrageous. He shouldnt be in power. People like this should not be ruling countries. But they do, he said. Advertisement Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and U.S. President Joe Biden (right) meet at the 'Villa la Grange' in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. (Patrick Semansky/AP) Biden repeatedly insisted that his remarks should not be interpreted as a change in U.S. policy or support for regime change in Russia. Bad people should not be allowed to do bad things, Biden said. It doesnt mean were going to take out Putin or anything like that. Even as he sought to frame the comment as a moral statement, Biden did hint that he may have been sending a signal to the Russian people to take matters into their own hands. If he continues on this course, he becomes a pariah worldwide, Biden said. And who knows what he might face at home. Losing his temper for a moment, Biden brushed off questions that his remarks might push Putin even further into a corner, and could lead to the conflict escalating. I dont care what he thinks. He is going to do what hes going to do, period, Biden said. The idea that hes going to do something because I call him (out) for what he is, its just not rational. Biden said he would not rule out meeting with Putin despite the war of words, especially if it could end the war in Ukraine. It depends on what he wants to talk about, Biden said. Russian President Vladimir Putin may be unfit to rule, but the U.S. isnt seeking a regime change in the Kremlin, the White House said Sunday, scrambling to downplay President Bidens comment that the Russian strongman cannot remain in power. Biden made the dramatic remarks about Putin and Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine during an emotional speech in Warsaw on Saturday. Advertisement I think the President, the White House, made the point last night that, quite simply, President Putin cannot be empowered to wage war or engage in aggression against Ukraine or anyone else, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a trip to Jerusalem. We do not have a strategy of regime change in Russia or anywhere else, for that matter, he said. As in any case, its up to the people of the country in question. Its up to the Russians. Advertisement Biden made the assertion For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power on the last day of his four-day trip to Europe. Shortly afterward, the White House issued the first of its statements walking back the remarks. The presidents point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putins power in Russia, or regime change, an unnamed White House official said. A journalist walks amid the destruction after a Russian attack in Byshiv on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sunday. (Rodrigo Abd/AP) Oksana Markarova, Ukraines ambassador to the U.S., said she welcomed Bidens speech. We heard President Biden loud and clear, that the U.S. is and will be with Ukraine in this fight, she said on NBCs Meet the Press. She also called for more military aid. We need all the support with all the weapons, including the anti-air, including the airplanes, everything, to stop this brutal destruction, Markarova said. Asked whether Ukraine wanted the U.S. to send troops to join the defense of Ukraine, she said no. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced frustration with Western nations refusal to send his country fighter jets as the invasion extended into its fifth week. Advertisement Speaking in a video address, he praised the determination, heroism and firmness of fighters in Mariupol, which has been cut off from the outside world by brutal Russian bombardments. If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage, Zelenskyy said. He also lamented Western nations ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets. Men lower the coffin of Ukrainian serviceman Oleksiy Lunyov into his gravesite in Yuzhne, Odessa region, Ukraine, on Sunday. Lunyov was killed during a Russian missile attack in Mykolaiv on March 18. (Max Pshybyshevsky/AP) Ukraine has repeatedly asked for fighter jets from the U.S. and Europe, which have already provided hundreds of millions of dollars in weapons. But the U.S. has rejected a Polish proposal to send planes to Ukraine through an American base in Germany, with NATO leaders saying they dont want to be drawn into direct combat. In a Sunday interview with Russian media, Zelenskyy said he would consider neutral status for Ukraine, along with other measures, to bring about an end to the war. Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state we are ready to go for it, he said. Advertisement Zelenskyy also reiterated calls for Putin to meet with him. We must come to an agreement with the president of the Russian Federation, and in order to reach an agreement, he needs to get out of there on his own feet ... and come to meet me., he said. The bloodshed on the ground has continued as Ukrainian troops went on the offensive in areas where Russian forces were weak, according to The New York Times. A big formation of Russian soldiers was regrouping around Chernobyls defunct nuclear power plant, the Times also reported. A Ukrainian serviceman speaks to a man, seen through a bus destroyed during Russian shelling, as he patrols a street in Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv on Sunday. (OLEKSANDR GIMANOV/AFP via Getty Images) Meanwhile, Russia kept up its relentless shelling of cities. At least 1,119 civilians have been killed and 1,790 others wounded since Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24, according to the United Nations, though it noted the figures are almost certainly an undercount. On a bright note, some cafes in Kyiv reopened as Ukrainian troops reportedly launched a counteroffensive outside the capital. Advertisement We have reopened and are going to keep working as long as we can, a barista named Mykola told the BBC. We are doing this to make people smile. A sign at another cafe read: Death to the Russian invaders. Coffee for defenders is free. With News Wire Services LVIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukrainian forces claimed to have retaken a Kyiv suburb and an eastern town from the Russians in what is becoming a back-and-forth stalemate on the ground, while negotiators began assembling for another round of talks Tuesday aimed at stopping the fighting. Ahead of the talks, to be held in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country is prepared to declare its neutrality, as Moscow has demanded, and is open to compromise on the fate of the Donbas, the contested region in the countrys east. Advertisement The mayor of Irpin, a northwestern Kyiv suburb that has been the site of some of the heaviest fighting near the capital, said Monday that the city has been liberated from Russian troops. Irpin gained wide attention after photos circulated of a mother and her two children who were killed by shelling as they tried to flee, their bodies lying on the pavement with luggage and a pet carrier nearby. Advertisement Ukrainian servicemen ride atop a tank near the town of Trostsyanets, Ukraine, Monday, March 28, 2022. (Felipe Dana/AP) And a senior U.S. defense official said the U.S. believes the Ukrainians have retaken the town of Trostyanets, south of Sumy, in the east. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. intelligence assessments, said Russian forces largely remained in defensive positions near the capital, Kyiv, and were making little forward progress elsewhere in the country. The official said Russia appeared to be de-emphasizing ground operations near Kyiv and concentrating more on the Donbas, the predominantly Russian-speaking region where Moscow-backed rebels have been waging a separatist war for the past eight years. Late last week, with its forces bogged down in parts of the country, Russia said its main goal was gaining control of the Donbas. While that suggested a possible face-saving exit strategy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, it also raised Ukrainian fears that the Kremlin intends to split the country in two and force it to surrender a swath of its territory. Russia has long demanded that Ukraine drop any hope of joining NATO, which Moscow sees as a threat. Zelenskyy, for his part, has stressed that Ukraine needs security guarantees of its own as part of any deal. In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during an interview with independent Russian news media from Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 27, 2022. (AP) Over the weekend, Zelenskyy said he is ready to agree to neutrality. He also said that Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt, while suggesting at the same time that compromise might be possible over the complex issue of Donbas. The Ukrainian leader has suggested as much before but rarely commented so extensively. That could create momentum for the talks, for which the Russian delegates arrived in Istanbul on Monday, Turkish media reported. Still, it was not clear how a compromise on the Donbas would square with maintaining Ukraines territorial integrity. Advertisement Earlier talks, both by video and in person, have failed to make progress on ending the more than the month-old war that has killed thousands and driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes. That includes almost 4 million who have fled the country. In the besieged southern port of Mariupol, the mayor said half the pre-war population of more than 400,000 has fled, often under fire, during weeks of shooting and shelling. Sofia Boiko, 90 years old, arrives at the Ukrainian Red Cross center in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, on Monday, March 28, 2022. (Petros Giannakouris/AP) Alina Beskrovna, who escaped the city in a convoy of cars and made it to Poland, said desperate people are melting snow for water and cooking on open fires despite the risk of bombardment, because if you dont, you will have nothing to eat. A lot of people are just, I think, starving to death in their apartments right now with no help, she said. Its a mass murder thats happening at the hands of the Russians. Putins ground forces have become bogged down because of stronger-than-expected Ukrainian resistance, combined with what Western officials say are tactical missteps, poor morale, shortages of food, fuel and cold weather gear, and other problems among the Russians. Moscow has resorted to pummeling Ukrainian cities with artillery and airstrikes. In Stoyanka village near Kyiv, Ukrainian soldier Serhiy Udod said Russian troops had taken up defensive positions and suffered heavy losses. Advertisement The Russians probably thought it would be like Crimea, which the Kremlin annexed in 2014. But here its not like in Crimea. We are not happy to see them. Here they suffer and get killed. In the last year, unionization in America has caught fire. In New York City earlier this month, workers at an REI store voted to form the first union at the outdoor equipment and clothing merchant. At Starbucks, workers at three stores have voted to unionize since December. Thats just a fraction of the giant chains 9,000 stores in the United States, but workers at more than 100 other stores have filed for union elections. Perhaps most dramatic is the push to unionize by Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama and Staten Island. Why do people want to join unions? Why now? Surely, the primary reasons are pragmatic. Workers seek higher pay, better benefits, better labor conditions and more respect. These are all good reasons, but my historians hunch suggests something more: Theres a hunger for community in the U.S. and around the world. Advertisement The pandemic brought a plague of loneliness. Millions of workers were suddenly working at home, alone. Millions of others had to continue to do their jobs in public places that exposed them to disease, but even they suffered diluted human contact through the gauzy barrier of masks. But even before COVID-19, a host of factors contributed to a decline in community. Prosperity, individualism, the digital revolution, fading religious faith and globalization have all played a role. The result has been a reversal of age-old patterns of human existence but not of human needs. Advertisement Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon Labor Union, talks on his phone while an Amazon truck passes by in Staten Island, New York, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. (Seth Wenig/AP) Throughout history, people have hungered for community. In ancient Athens, for example, men joined the army or navy in a proud sign of citizenship, while women gathered for acts of faith such as weaving a new robe for the goddess Athena and marching with it in an annual procession. Spartas famous warriors lived and died as a group. They grew up in barracks with boys their own age and shared military education. Even as grownups, they continued their group identity by taking meals together with their comrades in what they called common messes. And few symbols of common destiny are more potent than the 300 Spartans who chose to fight and die in defense of Greece at Thermopylae rather than to save their own individual skins. In the Roman Empire, it was a matter of both privilege and pride to be among the few who were able to say, civis romanus sum, I am a Roman citizen. The religion of the Hebrew Bible emphasizes communal worship over individual piety. The early Christian writer Tertullian described the members of the church as a community bound together by belief, discipline, hope and, above all, by love. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > More recently, the aptly named Polish trade union Solidarity ended up representing one-third of the countrys workforce after its creation in 1980. It played a major role in bringing down communism. Americans were once the greatest joiners in the world, as Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in Democracy in America after visiting the young republic in 1831. But that has changed. Political scientist Robert Putnam captured the nature of decline in American community in recent decades in the title of his 2000 book, Bowling Alone. He described the countrys falling stock of what he called social capital, that is, the organizations and practices that bind us together. He also called for a revival of civic engagement. Putnam was right then, and his ideas hold still true today. Countries need community to survive. Democracy is resilient enough to take a punch or two, but it cant survive solitude. To be sure, community can lead to bad results as well as good. Ancient Athens was a democracy, but it kept slaves, denied political rights to immigrants, and lashed out at insiders during moments of stress. It was an Athenian jury that voted to execute Socrates for corrupting the youth in an egregious example of ancient cancel culture. We see the good and bad of community in the war in Ukraine. A warped sense of nationalism motivated Russias invasion, but a shared spirit of sacrifice has motivated Ukrainian responses. Surely soldiers on both sides believe that they are doing their patriotic duty, but the leadership has failed Russian soldiers egregiously. Advertisement Its a reminder that the thirst for community will seek bad outlets if denied good ones. If workers vote in free and fair elections to unionize, its an encouraging and healthy sign of people coming together in a group. Unions, like all institutions, have their own problems. Past abuses, for example, led to government measures to try to increase transparency and democratic governance. But for ordinary people to join together to increase their say in the workplace, rather than simply to accept the dictates of management, should warm even the coldest heart of any believer in democracy. Strauss is the Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies at Cornell University, Corliss Page Dean Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and author of the new book The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium. Bob Saget, Ed Asner and Norm Macdonald were among the big-name stars who werent included in the In Memoriam segment at Sundays Academy Awards. The six-minute segment at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood honored actors and filmmakers who died within the past year, with Sidney Poitier, William Hurt, Betty White and Olympia Dukakis among those who received tributes. Advertisement Saget, who was best known for his portrayal of family patriarch Danny Tanner on the sitcom Full House, was found dead at his Florida hotel room in January, with a medical examiner saying the comedian likely suffered injuries in an an unwitnessed fall. He was 65. Bob Saget (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tribeca Festiva) Asner, who died last August at age 91, was a seven-time Emmy recipient who starred on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the Lou Grant spinoff series. Advertisement Macdonald died last September at age 61 following a battle with acute leukemia. He was known for his work as a stand-up comedian and on Saturday Night Live. All three actors appeared in numerous films during their careers as well. Sundays In Memoriam segment saw filmmaker Tyler Perry take the stage to talk about Poitier, actor Bill Murray reflect on his experiences with late Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, and actress Jamie Lee Curtis discuss the legacy of White. Co-hosts Regina Hall, left, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes speak onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Comedian Chris Rock got a startling slap in the face from actor Will Smith at the Oscars Sunday night. Before presenting the award for documentary feature, Rock took aim at Jada Pinkett Smith, telling her how much he was looking forward to watching her in G.I. Jane 2. Advertisement The 50-year-old actress shaved her head last year while revealing her battle with alopecia, which causes hair loss. Will Smith responded by jumping on stage and hitting Rock in the face, before walking back to his seat. Rock is left shocked. Advertisement [ Chris Rock declined to file police report after Will Smith slap at Oscars: LAPD ] Keep my wifes name out of your f--king mouth, Smith shouted multiple times at Rock as producers cut the audio. In foreign language broadcasts, the audio remained on as Rock chuckled that Will Smith just slapped the s--t out of me. Chris Rock and Will Smith are seen onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday in Hollywood. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Awkwardly, he continued, saying: That was the greatest night in the history of television. Seated behind Smith in the audience, Black Panther actress Lupita Nyongo caught the cameras, looking both stunned and slightly amused. [ Kathy Griffin fears for comics after Will Smith hits Chris Rock ] Smith had revealed in December that a bald patch had appeared near her hair line. Now at this point, I can only laugh, she said in an Instagram video then. Yall know Ive been struggling with alopecia and just all of a sudden one day, look at this line right here. Look at that. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > In 1997s G.I. Jane, Demi Moore starred and appeared with a shaved head. Will Smith just punched Chris Rock and told him "keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth" pic.twitter.com/1f1ytdbMRv CJ Fogler (@cjzer0) March 28, 2022 After the stunned audience settled, Sean Diddy Combs took the stage to introduce the in memoriam segment, but not before he tried to calm everyone down. I didnt know that was going to be the most exciting Oscars ever, he said. OK, Will and Chris, well gonna solve this like family at the Gold party. OK? But right now, were moving on with love. Everybody make some noise. Advertisement From inside the Dolby Theatre, Denzel Washington and Tyler Perry could be seen pulling Smith aside during a commercial break, emphatically pantomiming for him to brush it off, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Bradley Cooper was also photographed hugging the actor. Chris Rock recoils after being hit by Will Smith. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Pinkett Smith and Rock have their own history even before Sundays ill-advised joke, dating back to the 2016 Oscars, hosted by Rock. Jada got mad, said shes not coming. Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihannas panties. I wasnt invited, Rock said during his opening monologue, which focused on the shows lack of diversity. You get mad. Its not fair that Will was this good and didnt get nominated. Its also not fair that Will was paid $20 million for Wild Wild West. This year at the Oscars, things are going to be a little different. In the in memoriam package its just going to be Black people who were shot by the cops on their way to the movies. Yes, I said it, all right? Kim Kardashian didnt actually mean it when she told women to get your f--king a-- up and work, the reality star claimed Monday. The SKIMS founder caught massive backlash earlier this month with her advice for women in business, published in a Variety profile about her familys new Hulu show. Among the criticism was that Kardashian herself skipped more than a few steps on her way to being a media mogul, born into the already rich and famous family of O.J. Simpsons future lawyer. Advertisement It seems like nobody wants to work these days, Kardashian, 41, told Variety. The comments even gained enough traction to earn a mention at the Oscars Sunday night, when co-host Regina Hall jokingly encouraged Judi Dench to work harder after losing the best supporting actress award to Ariana DeBose. Advertisement Kim Kardashian attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) But Kardashian claims her comments were taken out of context. It wasnt a blanket statement toward women or to feel like I dont respect the work or think that they dont work hard. I know that they do, she told Robin Roberts in a Good Morning America interview that aired Monday morning. That statement that I said was without questions and conversation around it, and it became a soundbite really with no context. That soundbite came off of the notion and the question right before, which was, After 20 years of being in the business, youre famous for being famous, and my whole tone and attitude changed with the previous question that went into that question about what advice would you give to women. Variety reporter Elizabeth Wagmeister denied Kardashians telling Monday afternoon, saying that the question about being famous for being famous came after the mother of fours get back to work comments, not before as she claimed. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center), in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2022. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) KATHMANDU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday that China is willing to join hands with Nepal to cement friendship between the two countries and safeguard regional peace. At a meeting with Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, Wang said China cherishes the traditional friendship with Nepal that has lasted for generations. No matter how the international situation changes and what challenges emerge, China will stick to its friendly policy towards Nepal, he said. As the world is full of chaos and transformations, both sides should guard against the resurgence of the Cold War mentality in the region and jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and development, Wang said. For his part, Prachanda congratulated China on successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympic Games despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Noting that Nepal and China are connected by mountains and rivers and enjoy traditional friendship, he said the two neighbors have maintained close exchanges and sound cooperation since the establishment of their diplomatic ties. He thanked China for its strong support for Nepal's socio-economic development, as well as disaster and COVID-19 responses, and expressed readiness to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and accelerate the Belt and Road cooperation, especially in connectivity and infrastructure projects. Nepal will continue to adhere to the one-China policy and will never allow any force to use its territory to engage in any activities against China, Prachanda said. During his meeting with KP Sharma Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), Wang said both countries have been pushing forward cooperation steadily, joining hands to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and help Nepal's recovery and development, and bringing tangible benefits to the Nepali people. Wang said China cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries, never interferes in Nepal's internal affairs and always sticks to the friendly policy towards Nepal. China hopes that Nepal could maintain social and political stability, he said, adding that his country will continue to firmly support Nepal in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, exploring a development path suited to its own national conditions, and relentlessly pursuing independent domestic and foreign policies. Wang said China's development adds to a more powerful peace force and will bring new development opportunities for developing countries including Nepal, and China's neighbors in particular. Oli said Nepal and China are close by both geography and culture, and the two peoples have enjoyed a long-standing history of friendship. He expressed appreciation for China's unreserved support for Nepal in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and for its selfless assistance to help Nepal conduct socio-economic development and fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Nepal will firmly uphold the one-China policy, earnestly push for the building of the Belt and Road, deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields, and work jointly for the common goal of building the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, Oli said. He pledged to make more efforts to share governance experience with the Chinese side and raise the cooperation between the two parties and two countries to a new level. Wang left Nepal on Sunday for home to conclude his four-nation tour, which also took him to Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with KP Sharma Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2022. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) Co-hosts Regina Hall, left, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes speak onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) In one of the more predictable wins at the Oscars Sunday night, deaf actor Troy Kotsur made history, taking home a trophy for best supporting actor. Kotsur broke out in CODA as Frank Rossi, a deaf fisherman who relies on his teenage daughter, Ruby (Emilia Jones), the only hearing member of her family. Marlee Matlin and Daniel Durant co-star in the Apple TV+ movie as Rubys mother and brother, respectively. Advertisement Troy Kotsur accepts the award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for "CODA" onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) The 53-year-old actor has been the darling of the awards season this year, winning the same category at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the British Academy Film Awards and the Critics Choice Movies Awards. Sundays win makes him the first deaf man to score a trophy at the Oscars. Advertisement [ Oscars 2022: Winners and losers from the 94th annual primetime awards show ] His CODA co-star, Matlin, was the first deaf performer to win an Oscar when she won best actress for Children of a Lesser God in 1987. This is amazing to be here on this journey. I cannot believe Im here, Kotsur said during his acceptance speech through an interpreter, before joking that Matlin banned him from teaching President Biden and First Lady Jill dirty sign language during a visit to the White House. Troy Kotsur, left, and Marlee Matlin in a scene from "CODA." (AP) Kotsur specifically thanked his dad, the best signer in his family, who was no longer able to sign after being paralyzed in a car accident. This is our moment, he said to the the deaf community, the CODA community, the disabled community. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 93 Queen Latifah attends the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) To my mom, my dad, my brother Mark, theyre not here, but look at me now. I did it. Kotsur beat out Ciaran Hinds in Belfast, Jesse Plemons in The Power of the Dog, J.K. Simmons in Being the Ricardos and Kodi Smit-McPhee in The Power of the Dog. It looks like Sean Penn will be smelting his Oscars after all. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy didnt participate in Sundays Academy Awards broadcast after some, including actor Penn, advocated for him to be given a platform to discuss the crisis in his country amid Russias invasion. Advertisement Zelenskyy is a former actor and comedian who became Ukraines president in 2019. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP) Penn, who founded the relief effort nonprofit CORE, recently told CNN in an interview from Poland that hed be outraged if Zelenskyy wasnt asked to take part in the Oscars. Advertisement If it comes back to it, when I return, I will smelt mine in public, Penn said of his two Academy Award trophies. I pray thats not whats happened. I pray there have not been arrogant people who consider themselves representatives of the greater good in my industry that have not decided to check in with leadership in Ukraine. So Im just going to hope that thats not whats happened and I hope that everybody walks out if it is. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 67 Co-hosts Regina Hall, left, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes speak onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Penn, 61, won best actor at the Oscars for Mystic River in 2004 and Milk in 2009. Oscars co-host Amy Schumer said on The Drew Barrymore Show last week that she advocated for Zelenskyy to be given a chance to speak during the ceremony. There are so many eyes on the Oscars, Schumer told host Drew Barrymore. Im not afraid to go there, but its not me producing the Oscars. Co-hosts Regina Hall, left, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes speak onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) All Rachel Zegler had to do to score an Oscars invite was shame the Academy. The West Side Story star caused a fuss last week when she revealed that she hadnt been invited to Sundays show, despite her lead role in the Steven Spielberg remake. Advertisement [ Oscars 2022: Winners and losers from the 94th annual primetime awards show ] Jacob Elordi and Rachel Zegler speak onstage at the Oscars Sunday. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Idk yall, I have tried it all, but it doesnt seem to be happening, the 20-year-old New Jersey native commented back to a fan on Instagram. I will root for West Side Story from my couch and be proud of the work we so tirelessly did three years ago. I hope some last minute miracle occurs and I can celebrate our film in person, but hey, thats how it goes sometimes, I guess. Thanks for all the shock and outrage Im disappointed too. But thats okay. So proud of our movie. Advertisement The Academy stepped in with a last-ditch move, asking her instead to present, which allowed Zegler into the Dolby Theatre for the show. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 93 Queen Latifah attends the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) Growing up in Australia, I never thought that I would stand on this stage, Euphoria star Jacob Elordi said. And I never thought that I would be here six days ago, but dreams really can come true! Zegler finished to laughs from the audience. The pair introduced the award for visual effects, which went to Dune. U.S. Rep Ayanna Pressley praised Will Smith for his Oscars attack on Chris Rock then deleted her tweet shortly thereafter. Pressley, a Massachusetts Democrat, has alopecia, like Smiths wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith. When Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith remarking she could star in a sequel to G.I. Jane, in which Demi Moore played a character with a shaved head Smith went onstage and hit Rock, then cursed him from the crowd. Advertisement Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) speaks during an immigration rally in Washington on Dec. 7, 2021. (Jose Luis Magana/AP) That brought a short-lived tweet from Pressley, who revealed her alopecia and showed her bald head for the first time in 2020. #Alopecia nation stand up! she tweeted. Thank you #WillSmith Shout out to all the husbands who defend their wives living with alopecia in the face of daily ignorance & insults. #Oscars Women with baldies are for real men only only. Boys need not apply. Advertisement Pressley deleted the tweet shortly thereafter, but it was captured in screenshots by people replying to it. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 67 Co-hosts Regina Hall, left, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes speak onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Earlier this month, Pressley gave an impassioned speech as the House of Representatives passed the Crown Act, prohibiting discrimination based on her, which often targets African-Americans. Shortly after he hit Rock, Smith won best actor for his performance in King Richard. Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian attend the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party following the 94th Oscars at the The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California on March 27, 2022. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) Will Smith partied like he didnt have a care in the world after the Oscars Sunday night while everyone else was left reeling from his on-stage slap of Chris Rock. The 53-year-old actor, who snagged his first Academy Award for playing the father of Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard, was spotted dancing and singing to his old hits at the Vanity Fair post-show party. Advertisement Its been a beautiful night, he told the Hollywood Reporter. Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Will Smith, Jaden Smith and Trey Smith arrive at the Vanity Fair post-Oscars party. (Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder: Smith earned his first trophy after three Oscar nominations, but not before leaving a mark on the festivities and Chris Rocks face when he slapped the presenter for joking about wife Jada Pinkett Smiths baldness. Advertisement Neither man has commented publicly on the viral moment, which the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences condemned, although Smith later apologized to his fellow nominees during his acceptance speech. [ SEE IT: Will Smith hits Chris Rock during Oscars over bald joke about Jada Pinkett Smith ] Rock declined to press charges against Smith. Rocks remarks came as he presented the award for documentary feature, which went to Questlove for The Summer of Soul, rattling off a joke about seeing the bald Red Table Talk host in G.I. Jane 2. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 67 Co-hosts Regina Hall, left, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes speak onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Thats when Smith charged the stage, slapped a stunned Rock, then went back to his table and screamed at the presenter to keep my wifes name out of your f--king mouth. Minutes later, when his name was called during the best actor category, Smith got a rousing applause from the audience inside the Dolby Theatre. He was also treated like Fresh Prince royalty at the Vanity Fair party, greeted by Lupita Nyongo, Lena Waithe and Trevor Noah, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Smith was accompanied to the party by wife Jada and children Willow, Jaden and Trey. Chris Rock performs during a previous tour. The comedian will stop in Orlando in July on his "Ego Death" tour. (Bill Waugh/AP) Comedian Chris Rock suddenly found himself in the global spotlight Sunday night as the recipient of a slap from actor Will Smith at this years Oscars, which were broadcast around the world. The smack came after Rock made a joke about Smiths wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and remarked on her shaved head by calling her G.I. Jane. Pinkett Smith shaved her head after struggling with alopecia, a hair loss condition. Advertisement This summer, Chris Rock will find himself in the spotlight at Dr. Phillips Center as he stops in Orlando on July 27 to entertain during his Ego Death tour. The star, who got his big break as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, is known for a range of comedy specials and film credits including Grown Ups and Madagascar. During Rocks Central Florida appearance in the Walt Disney Theater, guests will be prohibited from using phones, smartwatches or accessories during the performance. All devices must be secured inside individual Yondr pouches that will be opened at the end of the event. Attendees can use their digital gadgets in designated areas. Advertisement There are still a few tickets left, starting at $49.50 each, for Rocks Orlando performance. A limited number of VIP packages are available with premium seating, a long-sleeved tour shirt, a collectible poster and more. For tickets and more information, visit drphillipscenter.org. Find me @PConnPie on Twitter and Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun things, follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. David Sims, left, and his husband Ed Patterson, share a moment at their Clermont home on Thursday, March 24, 2022. Patterson was diagnosed with Alzheimer's several years ago. Sims is a nurse and also serves as Ed's caregiver. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Ed Pattersons doctor told him cognitive issues were a normal part of aging after his husband, David Sims, noticed memory loss and changes in Pattersons personality. Sims, a full-time nurse, knew better. At the time I had a mother who was 90, still driving, still handled all of her affairs, Sims said. I said, thats the normal, not the exception, so Im not buying that. And I did not give up. There were times I would throw my hands up in the air, and then later Id say no, were going to find out whats going on with him. Advertisement After five years of misdiagnoses, testing in conjunction with a clinical trial confirmed Patterson had early-stage Alzheimers disease in 2018 at age 71. Since then, the Clermont couple has struggled to get Patterson into drug studies and find neurologists and geriatricians doctors trained to treat older adults. Many treatments and providers are not covered by Pattersons insurance. Its so frustrating when you think youre almost there, Patterson said. You find a doctor that you love, that you can communicate with, and they drop your insurance. You find another geriatrician, they leave the practice. Advertisement He is not alone. Florida has the second-highest number of Alzheimers patients over 65 after California: 580,000. Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties had 52,857 probable Alzheimers patients in 2018, according to data cited by the local nonprofit Senior Resource Alliance. If Patterson had been diagnosed immediately, he would have had extra time to find the right doctor, participate in drug trials and plan for the future benefits of early diagnosis, according to the Alzheimers Association. But delayed diagnoses are fairly common. Its hard to find specialists, and nearly 40% of primary care providers rarely feel comfortable diagnosing Alzheimers or other dementia, according to a 2019 survey from the Alzheimers Association. About 50% said they are ill-equipped to treat people with dementia. David Sims, left, and his husband Ed Patterson are pictured at their Clermont home on Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) By 2025, the number of Florida residents with Alzheimers is expected to increase by about 24%, according to the Alzheimers Association 2022 Alzheimers Disease Facts and Figures report, released March 15. There are 362 geriatricians in Florida, which is not enough to treat the current number of patients, according to the report. By 2050, the number of geriatricians needs to nearly quadruple in order to serve just 10% of the states Alzheimers patients. The responsibility of diagnosis may largely continue to stay with primary care physicians, who need more training to treat and diagnose dementia patients, said Kiarra Krulikowski, an Alzheimers Association program manager. The biggest area for improvement is ensuring that we have a properly trained and competent workforce, Krulikowski said. Doctors low interest in geriatrics Dr. Rosemary Laird, one of Floridas few geriatricians, said doctors may be reluctant to specialize in treating the elderly for a number of reasons. Advertisement For one, gerontology is a lower-paying specialty. Medical students are unlikely to encounter geriatrician mentors and doctors may be especially reluctant to specialize in dementia, she said, because theres no chance of a cure. Alzheimers, the most common cause of dementia, is a disorder that progressively destroys the brains ability to function, starting with areas that control memory and moving on to other parts of the brain. Treatments can merely manage, slow, or delay symptoms, according to the National Institute on Aging. Cure isnt the only goal out there, Laird said. Many people tell me, well, you cant cure Alzheimers disease. So what can you do for someone? And I would immediately say, you can provide them years and years of care and provide their family that same care. Caregivers, alongside patients, pay the price for this lack of awareness. Sims is one of 806,000 Florida residents who serves as an unpaid family caregiver. He keeps track of Pattersons medications, takes him to some of his appointments and calls in to check up on him periodically from work. He often uses his paid time off to help his husband. It starts from the time you get up until you go to bed, at any stage of this disease, Sims said. Advertisement Caregivers of people with Alzheimers or other types of dementia are more likely to be depressed or anxious than non-caregivers, and more likely to have financial or emotional difficulties than caregivers of people with other issues, the Alzheimers Association said in its report. Sims said paid family leave at the state or federal level could partially alleviate this burden. It just doesnt make sense that our government doesnt recognize the need for caregivers, he said. Central Florida resources grow Resources are limited for people with Alzheimers. As the third-most-populous U.S. state with the highest proportion of residents over 65, Florida is focusing on becoming more dementia-friendly. The AdventHealth Neuroscience Institutes Maturing Minds Program, one of 17 state-designated memory disorders clinics, is scheduling appointments a few months out, said Craig Brubaker, vice president of AdventHealths Neuroscience Institute. He is working to increase the clinics capacity. We are actively working to expand, to be able to serve more people in Central Florida by recruiting more physicians and qualified team members, he said in an email. Advertisement DeSantis added $12 million toward Alzheimers and related dementias in the 2021-22 budget, bringing the states commitment to $51 million total. For comparison, California the state with the highest number of Alzheimers patients invested $32.5 million in Alzheimers disease in 2021-22, according to calculations from Justice in Aging, a nonprofit trying to alleviate senior poverty. The states Alzheimers Disease Initiative supports people with Alzheimers and their caregivers. It also aims to research the diseases cause, treatment and ultimately find a cure. The Senior Resource Alliance received $1.1 million from the Alzheimers Disease Initiative for 2021-22. The alliances partner groups across Central Florida are trying to expand resources for people with Alzheimers and their caregivers as the population ages. Together, Im confident well find a way to provide the resources needed, said Karla Radka, president and CEO of the Senior Resource Alliance. The Alzheimers Associations Krulikowski praised Floridas efforts. All of this trickles down, directly contributes to things that we can do to reduce the burden on caregivers and give them the support that we need, and really help target the disease, she said. Advertisement Reducing stigma Even if resources for people with Alzheimers are improved, the fear of being diagnosed with something serious discourages some people from telling their doctor about their symptoms and accessing those resources, a survey in the Alzheimers Associations 2022 report found. Patterson and his husband, Sims, want to help. The Health Report Weekly A weekly update on health news in Florida. > If you can see somebody that has that diagnosis and they are still driving, theyre still productive, theyre still managing their affairs, I would say it reduces the stigma and it might help others to go ahead and go to the doctor and see whats going on with them, Sims said. Instead of being fearful and just saying, I dont want to know. The couple, together for about 40 years, was one of the 44 gay couples married in a mass wedding by Mayor Buddy Dyer on January 6, 2015, when same-sex marriage became legal in Florida. Patterson has taken on even more opportunities to become part of history since his diagnosis. It didnt take me very long just to say look, Im retired, Patterson said. I want to do something about this because the awareness of Alzheimers and dementia is not very well known. Advertisement He is speaking about his experience with the disease to show that it is not a hopeless prognosis. In 2019 and 2020 he served as a member of the Alzheimers Association National Early-Stage Advisory Group. He has traveled with Sims to Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. to advocate for important Alzheimers issues. A lot of the stigma has gone away for me because of the support that I have had with family, with David, with friends, Patterson said. So many of our friends that we have known for a long time will look at me and say, I still cant believe you have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimers. Find me at @CECatherman on Twitter or send an email: ccatherman@orlandosentinel.com A judge agreed this month to partially exclude a confession made by Connecticut physical therapist Anthony Todt in the 2020 killings of his wife and three children at their Celebration home from his upcoming murder trial. Todt, 45, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of animal cruelty in the killings of his wife, 42-year-old Megan Todt; the couples children Alek, 13, Tyler, 11, and Zoe, 4; and their dog Breezy. Advertisement He has pleaded not guilty. The detectives who interrogated Todt after he was arrested at the hospital did not fully inform him of his Miranda rights before their first interview, Circuit Judge Keith Carsten ruled in his March 15 order. Advertisement Police are required to inform people in custody of their constitutional rights prior to an interrogation, an expectation established under the 1966 U.S. Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona. A detective with the Osceola County Sheriffs Office omitted the warning that Todts statements could be used as evidence against him and advice about Todts right to have an attorney appointed if he could not afford one, Carsten found. The Miranda warnings recorded on the audio tape were inadequate and incomplete, Carsten wrote in his ruling. ... Regardless of [Todts] apparent lack of hesitation to speak with the Detectives, and their lack of coercion or promise, [Todts] waiver of his Miranda protection cannot be found to be knowing and voluntary, as he was not afforded a full and complete advisement of his rights. Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > After Todts first confession to the killings, detectives interrogated him two more times and read him the full Miranda warning before Todt repeated his involvement in the deaths of his wife and children. Defense attorneys argued those interviews should be excluded as well because Todt was suicidal and had diminished capacity after a Benadryl overdose. Carsten rejected those arguments, though, finding Todt spoke to detectives voluntarily. [Todt] did not show any signs of hesitation of speaking with the Detectives in any of the three interviews, Carsten said. This is evidenced by [Todts] repeated statements to the Detectives indicating he wished to talk to them, wished to take responsibility, felt comfortable with the Detectives, and was not threatened at all by their presence or questions. Federal authorities and Osceola deputies were at the familys Celebration home Jan. 13, 2020, to arrest Todt on insurance fraud charges related to his physical therapy business when they found the blanket-wrapped bodies of his wife, children and dog. The victims had stab wounds and toxic amounts of Benadryl in their bodies, according to autopsy reports. Although he initially confessed to the killings, Todt has since blamed his wife for the slayings in jailhouse writings. Advertisement Todts trial is set to begin April 4 at the Osceola County Courthouse. mcordeiro@orlandosentinel.com Days after a driver who lost control of his car and collided with a group of students waiting at their bus stop last week, a second student who was taken to the hospital in critical condition has died. Chand Wazir, 15, died Friday at St. Marys Medical Center, the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office said. Tiana Johnson, 15, died two days earlier, also at St. Marys Medical Center. Advertisement Johnson, Wazir and two other students a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy were standing at the bus stop on the corner of Crestwood Boulevard and Cypress Lakes Drive shortly before 7 a.m. last Tuesday when Angel Antonio Lopez lost control of a 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio, hit a curb and careened onto the sidewalk, hitting the teens who attended Royal Palm Beach Community High School in Royal Palm Beach. A memorial for Tiana Johnson, 15, grows on the corner of Crestwood Boulevard South and Cypress Lake Drive in Royal Palm Beach on March 24, 2022. Johnson died after being hit by a driver while waiting for her school bus on Tuesday morning. A second student has died, and two others injured in the crash are expected to survive. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) The South Florida Sun Sentinel is not naming the two surviving minors, who were seriously injured. Teri Barbera, a spokesperson for the Sheriffs Office, said they are expected to recover. Advertisement The Sheriffs Office said Monday the agency is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash, and charges are pending. Royal Palm Beach Community High School Principal Michelle Fleming said last week in a note to parents whose students are assigned to the same bus stop that the stop will be moved to another location out of respect for the victims and families. As of Monday, the School District of Palm Beach County said the stop has changed for students living in The Estates and the Grandview Community. Students who live at The Estates will now use the stop at Cypress Lakes Drive at a turnaround in front of the community, and students living in the Grandview Community will use a private transportation company until a long-term change is decided. [ RELATED: 2 high school students in critical condition, 2 others hospitalized after car hits them at bus stop ] Dear New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker: Some days, you are really irritating. Advertisement Thats because you insist on being a happy warrior in grumpy times. With that eternal, internal and, yes, infernal sunshine of yours, you are to the body politic as that 1-877-Kars4Kids ad would be to a man with a hangover. Leonard Pitts. You float on pink clouds of bipartisan bonhomie, making friends of opponents, shoveling constituents driveways, racial slights bouncing off you like bullets off Superman, so upbeat, you make Fred Rogers look like Lewis Black. Even one of your former aides once said, Sometimes its like, give me a break, Cory, take it down a notch. This was in a Politico profile under the headline, Is Cory Booker For Real? Advertisement So yes, senator, some days youre quite annoying. But there are other days, too. Wednesday was one of them. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee weighing her ascension to the Supreme Court, where she would be the first African-American woman in its 232-year history. The clownish grandstanding of senators like Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham were in full flower, displays of performative distress over phantom issues having nothing to do with her fitness, and everything to do with making their contempt palpable. Why contempt? Does it even need saying? If so, turn to conservative troll Charlie Kirk, who told his audience Brown represents your country on CRT. As if that was somehow too subtle, he went on to warn that, Your children and your grandchildren are going to have to take orders from people like her. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson becomes emotional during an impassioned speech by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (Andrew Harnik/AP) People. Like. Her. And whats amazing, he added of this woman who had spent hours quietly answering inane questions asked in bad faith without once snarling about her love for beer, is that she kind of has an attitude, too. By which, of course, he meant that she is uppity. One felt debased by it all. One felt exhausted. And one had to wonder: When will this country ever, as a great man once put it, rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed? The feeling and the question have become sadly familiar. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Then, you started talking about resilience and faith. Im not letting anybody in the Senate steal my joy, you declared, calling the Black church into this moment of historical reckoning. You invoked an African-American woman who stopped you on the street to say what it meant to see Brown poised on the cusp of history. And an African-American janitor who cried at the sight of you, a Black man, in the Senate. You spoke of what it means to love a country that doesnt love you back. Advertisement You even subpoenaed the ancestors to testify: Langston saying, America never was America to me, but I swear this oath: America will be; Harriet, finding in a sky full of stars, one you said she took as her harbinger of hope for better days not just for her and those people that were enslaved, but a harbinger of hope for this country. Today, youre my star, you said. You are my harbinger of hope. Dont worry, my sister, you told her, and right then, there was nobody in the room but the two of you, Black senator counseling Black judge, Black man uplifting Black woman. Dont worry. God has got you. Senator, you did well. You found a way to turn ugliness into light, to remind America of itself. Small wonder the judge wept. After days of this, years of this, a lifetime of this, she surely needed what you had to offer. Shes not the only one. Leonard Pitts is a columnist for the Miami Herald. Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un has stressed that the country will further develop a "powerful strike means" to reinforce national defense capabilities, the Korean Central News Agency reported on Monday, days after Pyongyang claimed that it launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). "Only when one is equipped with the formidable striking capabilities, overwhelming military power that cannot be stopped by anyone, one can prevent a war, guarantee the security of the country and contain and put under control all threats and blackmails by the imperialists," Kim said, according to the report. While personally overseeing the test on Thursday, Kim said the new ICBM was to help deter any military moves by the United States. Kim said the DPRK's self-defense force "cannot be bartered nor be bought with anything" and will hold firm without the slightest vacillation despite harsh trials and difficulties. The DPRK will continue to build a "more perfect and stronger strategic force," he said. The DPRK said Thursday's missile was the Hwasong-17, and Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) confirmed that flight data showed the launch flew higher and longer than any previous DPRK test. Rejecting criticism that it would harm the LGBTQ community, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday the controversial measure derided as the dont say gay bill. We will make sure that parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination, DeSantis said at the Classical Preparatory School in Spring Hill. The school chosen for the bill signing ceremony was founded in 2011 by Anne Corcoran, the wife of state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, who is also a former Republican speaker of the House. Advertisement House Bill 1557, officially known as the Parental Rights in Education, was passed by the Legislature earlier this month. It will prohibit discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools up to the third grade and limits it to age-appropriate students in higher grades. Parents will also be able to sue school districts over the issue. Republicans argued the bill protects parental rights, while Democrats and LGBTQ groups contend it was intentionally vague and could have a chilling effect on teachers, students and the LGTBQ community. The bill has also been criticized by Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who suspended the companys political contributions in Florida in response. Advertisement The bill should never have passed and should never have been signed into law, the Walt Disney Co. said in an unsigned statement Monday. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. Plans are already in the works to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new law, said Joe Saunders, senior political director for Equality Florida and a former state representative. He expects the suit to kill the bill. Its dark legacy will be short-lived in the state of Florida, Saunders said. The bill has gained intense attention for weeks, with Oscars co-host Wanda Sykes joking Sunday, Were going to have a great night tonight. And for you people in Florida, were going to have a gay night. On Monday, DeSantis said, I dont care what corporate media outlets say, I dont care what Hollywood says, I dont care what big corporations say. Here I stand. Im not backing down. He also accused opponents of the bill of resorting to sloganeering because they couldnt argue against the bill on its merits. We did nothing but argue the merits of the bill, which is intentionally vague and overbroad, said Rep. Carlos G. Smith, D-Orlando, and the Legislatures first openly LGBTQ Latin member. He said the bill was intentionally designed to have a chilling effect on the ability of students and teachers to discuss LGBT issues, history and culture. This is an attempt to censor and exclude an entire group of people from our schools for his political gain, Smith added, saying his office launched a smear campaign that equated the LGBTQ community with groomers and pedophiles. Advertisement Critics specific concerns over parts of the bill include the unclear wording about banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity that isnt age appropriate. They note that the word or within the law means it could be enforced beyond kindergarten through third grade. The full sentence reads, Classroom 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. Corcoran said the state Board of Education will determine the definition of age appropriate, adding that people know what age appropriate is and that most teachers want guardrails. Opponents also are concerned that the lack of confidentiality and trust between students and their counselors or teachers would be damaged. They would be required to tell parents about any changes in their childs mental or emotional well-being, or changes in the services they are being provided, unless a reasonably prudent person would believe that disclosure would result in abuse, abandonment or neglect. An amendment from GOP state Sen. Jeff Brandes that would have widened the classroom instruction ban to human sexuality, instead of orientation and identity, also failed to pass. Smith offered a similar amendment in the House but it also failed. The bills Republican sponsors were openly vocal about the bill targeting LGBTQ students by the time it passed, with state Sen. Dennis Baxley complaining about everybody now is all about coming out when youre in school. Advertisement Despite the specific criticisms over the bills language, DeSantis has continued to claim that opponents, including Chapek, hadnt bothered to read the bill. DeSantis claimed Monday that some opponents have read it but support injecting woke gender ideology and are trying to camouflage their true intentions. DeSantis praised the aspects of the law that would require parents to be told about what they tell teachers or counselors, saying, Americans support the right of parents to be informed and to be able to withhold consent over certain types of medical treatments in school. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Classical Prep has a chapter of the conservative student group Young Americans for Freedom, which has strongly backed the bill. At the ceremony, children stood behind the governor holding signs that said, Protect Children, Support Parents. Disneys Chapek, who has been slammed by LGBTQ groups because of his initial silence on the issue, apologized to employees after the bill passed the Legislature. You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down, Chapek wrote in the letter, in which he announced Disney would pause all political contributions in Florida and work to oppose similar bills in other states. Advertisement Disney, the largest single-site employer in Florida with about 60,000 workers, had given about $55 million to Republicans, Democrats and political committees in the state over the past 28 years, including about $5 million in 2020 and more than $2 million in 2022, state records show. The company had also contributed more than $100,000 to the Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC since 2019. The company also pledged $5 million to LGTBQ groups, but one of the largest, the Human Rights Campaign refused Disneys money until we see them build on their public commitment. A Disney employee walkout in protest of the bill took place last week in California. But in Florida, union leaders did not support the walkout because it violates a no-strike provision of its contract with Disney World. Only one person was observed openly protesting in Orlando. TALLAHASSEE Opponents of a controversial 2021 law asked a federal judge this weekend to prevent the state from moving forward with surveys about intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity on college and university campuses. Attorneys for students, faculty members and groups challenging the law filed an emergency motion Saturday seeking a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction. The motion said surveys could be distributed to college and university teachers and students as soon as April 4. Advertisement The opponents filed an overall challenge to the law last summer, contending that the surveys would violate the First Amendment. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker has scheduled a trial to start Sept. 19, according to an online docket. Attorneys for the state had not filed a response to the emergency motion as of Monday morning, according to the docket. Advertisement Under the law, state universities and colleges will be required to conduct annual surveys. The law directed the university systems Board of Governors and State Board of Education, which oversees state colleges, to each have a survey that will be used by schools and that considers the extent to which competing ideas and perspectives are presented and members of the university (or college) community, including students, faculty, and staff, feel free to express their beliefs and viewpoints on campus and in the classroom. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > The law (HB 233) also said survey results will be published each September, starting this year. Students and employees are not required to participate. The emergency motion included a schedule that the plaintiffs said they had obtained. That schedule indicated invitations would be sent to students and employees April 4 to take the survey, according to the motion. Attorneys for the plaintiffs, including the United Faculty of Florida union, contended that allowing the surveys to move forward on the timeline threatens irreparable harm to plaintiffs First Amendment rights. The motion said Republican lawmakers passed the measure to target what they perceived as liberal bias on campuses. Defendants are required to report survey results in September, which Floridas leaders have made plain they intend to use to punish or suppress disfavored viewpoints, the motion said. At the very least, the junk science that defendants peddle with these surveys threatens to further fuel a false narrative that has put academic freedom and plaintiffs free speech and associational rights under direct and severe attack. To accomplish those harms, defendants need only campus-wide statistics. But in a motion to dismiss the case filed in September, attorneys for the state said the plaintiffs allegations of a violation of their free associational rights premised upon a parade of horribles arising from the provisions requiring colleges and universities to conduct surveys to measure intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity on their campuses are unshackled from the text of HB 233. Without knowing the content of any survey, how it will be administered, or how the results may be utilized in the future, plaintiffs foretell future injuries resulting from a hypothetical chain of contingencies that find no footing in the language of the statute they are challenging, the motion said. Of course, this is not how the constitutionality of a statute is determined. Walker has not ruled on the motion to dismiss the case, according to the docket. Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - US Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya visited Tunisia on 23-27 March, where she underscored the importance of strengthening democracy in the North African country and implementing an inclusive political and economic reform process, in coordination with political parties, unions, and civil society If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Be it solutions for global peace and prosperity or strengthening global supply chain, the world looks to India with great trust: PM Modi. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. China's Foreign Ministry called on all parties on Monday to take actions that are conducive to de escalating the Ukraine situation, and to promote dialogue instead of intensifying conflicts. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily press briefing after U.S. President Joe Biden declared that Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power." Several U.S. officials later clarified that the U.S. does not have a policy of regime change in Russia. 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Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8346f7c70)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838a499c0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8346f7c70)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838a499c0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838443378)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838a499c0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838a499c0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8346f41e0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e838a5c6a0)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e838a5c6a0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8384aaba0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8346f38b0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8384aaba0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8346f38b0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8384ab638)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8346f38b0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8346f38b0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8346f4b08)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e8384567d0)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e8384567d0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 ICQPodcast - Hamzilla 2022 In this episode, Colin Butler (M6BOY) is joined by Edmund Spicer M0MNG, Ed Durrant DD5LP, Dan Romanchik KB6NU and Leslie Butterfield (G0CIB) to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin (M6BOY) rounds up the news in brief and in the episode's feature Hamzilla 2022 We would like to thank Bradford Whiting (kd7gdt) and our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate News stories include: - ARRL Teachers Institute to Offer Four Sessions this Summer Russia and Belarus Suspended from CEPT membership Australian Radio Hams Help out after Floods AMSAT Receives a Grant From ARDC RSGB National Radio Centre re-opens International HEMA Day RSGB Announce Resignation of Board Director The ICQPodcast can be downloaded from http://www.icqpodcast.com Online Talk: Working the satellite QO-100 On Wednesday, March 30, Denby Dale Amateur Radio Society will have an online talk about operating through the QO-100 geostationary satellite transponder, all are welcome to join the Zoom session QO-100 was launched in November 2018 and the narrow-band transponder has an uplink at 2400.050 MHz and downlink at 10489.550 MHz. This is the first satellite transponder with amateur radio capability put into a geostationary orbit and is accessible from the UK. Richard M0SNR will demonstrate a QSO live during his presentation working through the transponder on this satellite. There is an excellent WebSDR run by AMSAT-UK and BATC at Goonhilly in SW England which will enable you to listen to QSOs through this satellite. It is available here https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ If you get a chance have a play before the meeting on Wednesday night !The talk is being given to theat 7:30pm on Wednesday, March 30 (Zoom active from 7:15pm). The meeting is open to all, you dont need to be a member to attend, you will always be welcome.The Zoom meeting ID is 842 5221 3056For further information seeRecordings of earlier Denby Dale online talks can be seen at WTWW broadcasting on shortwave to Ukraine WSMV-TV aired a news item about the Tennessee-based shortwave broadcast station WTWW, operated by radio amateurs Ted WB8PUM and Holly KG4WXV, that is broadcasting to Ukraine The YouTube description reads: This is a WSMV 4 new segment in Nashville, providing news about WTWW shortwave radio in Lebanon, Tennessee. The station is broadcasting to the people of Ukraine, during the war, with popular music to lift their spirits. WTWW is a non-profit radio station, supported by listeners. Your financial support is much appreciated and necessary https://wtww.us/ Watch the news report Ukraine Shortwave WTWW Were guessing these critters are suckers for French crullers like the rest of the doughnut-adoring public. Flies landed on a selection of doughnuts, muffins and buns at a Dunkin Donuts, one of only two restaurants in the tri-county area temporarily ordered shut last week by state inspectors. The other restaurant, Helens Mandarin House in Hollywood, was likewise shut down for pest problems. Advertisement The South Florida Sun Sentinel highlights restaurant inspections in Broward and Palm Beach counties from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. We cull through hundreds of restaurant and bar inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for high-priority violations, like improper food temperatures or dead cockroaches. [ FULL DATABASE: See Florida restaurant inspection reports from the last 30 days ] Sun Sentinel readers can browse full Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade county reports on our state inspection map, updated weekly (usually Monday) with fresh data pulled from the Florida DBPR website. Advertisement Any restaurant that fails inspections must stay closed until it passes a follow-up state inspection. If you spotted a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR here. (But dont contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesnt inspect restaurants.) Dunkin Donuts, North Miami Beach 95 NW 167th St. Ordered shut: March 24, reopened March 25 Why: The state discovered seven violations (two high priority), such as 92 live flies landing on assorted donuts at the front counter, landing on more doughnuts at the drive-thru window, landing on the wooden stripe framing the menu boards, and landing on signs and on the wall near the front doughnut stand. Naturally, state inspectors forced the chain to stop selling and toss out any assorted donuts, muffins and buns the flies touched due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. An inspector also spotted a pair of dead flies on a dining-room windowsill, and examples of multiple employees missing hair restraints and wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. The fast-food chain reopened the next day without a single incident. Helens Mandarin House, Hollywood 2029 Hollywood Blvd. Ordered shut: March 24, reopened March 25 Why: Five violations, one of them high priority, but it was a serious one: Seven live cockroaches spotted crawling on the underside of a prep table next to the dishwashing area, crawling on top of the dishwashing machine and beneath other nearby table. (The restaurants manager later killed the roaches and sanitized the areas.) An inspector also noticed the kitchens hood vents soiled with accumulated grease debris. The restaurant was cleared to reopen the next day, March 25, after inspectors found two basic issues. [ RELATED: South Florida restaurants: Now open, coming soon and closed | PHOTOS ] LOS ANGELES The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday condemned the actions of Will Smith during Sunday nights Oscars and launched an inquiry into his slapping of presenter Chris Rock. In a statement Monday, the film academy said: The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last nights show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our bylaws, standards of conduct and California law. Advertisement The fallout from Smiths onstage assault continued Monday, as Hollywood and the public continued to wrestle with a moment that stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home, and may have passed all others even that gold-standard flub, EnvelopeGate in Academy Awards infamy. Smith stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home when he took the stage during Rocks remarks after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, Smiths wife. Rock said, Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, cant wait to see it. Advertisement The joke touched a nerve. Pinkett Smith, whose head is shaved, has spoken publicly about her alopecia diagnosis. Smith strode on stage and slapped Rock across the face. Back in his seat, Smith twice shouted for Rock to get my wifes name out your (expletive) mouth. His words echoed clearly throughout the Dolby, though ABC cut the audio for about 15 seconds. Within an hour, Smith won best actor. During his acceptance speech, Smith apologized to the academy. After the show Sunday night, the academy posted a statement condemning violence. The Los Angeles Police Department said Sunday it was aware of the incident but not pursuing an investigation because the person involved declined to file a police report. Some academy members, like writer-producer Marshall Herskovitz, called for the academy to take disciplinary action against Smith. He disgraced our entire community tonight, wrote Herskovitz on Twitter. Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the Academys board of governors, said Monday on The View: Were not going to take that Oscar from him. There will be consequences, Im sure. A sense of disbelief hung in the air at the Dolby Theatre after Smiths assault, and it didnt dissipate Monday. Not only was it a hard-to-fathom break with decorum on live national television an incident so dramatic, even movie-like, that many initially assumed it was a staged bit it seemed wildly out of character for one of Hollywoods most relentlessly upbeat stars. All of this less than an hour before Smith reached possibly the climactic moment of his career, winning his first Oscar, for best actor. In a way, I feel bad for Will Smith, too, because I think he let his emotions get the better of him, and this should have been one of the great nights of his life, said former Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel on Bill Simmons podcast. And now its not. Was there anyone who didnt like Will Smith an hour ago in the world? Like no one, right? Now he doesnt have a single comedian friend thats for sure. Advertisement Some questioned whether Smith should have been allowed to continue to sit front and center after smacking Rock. Several stars rushed to counsel and calm Smith, including Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry. But the timing was also awkward because the best actor category was due up soon after, and Smith had long been considered a lock for the award. I know were all still processing, but the way casual violence was normalized tonight by a collective national audience will have consequences that we cant even fathom in the moment, wrote Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, on Twitter. The joke that provoked Smith was not part of Rocks routine during the rehearsals leading up to the show, according to two sources close to production who was not authorized to speak publicly. Rock had joked about Pinkett Smith before. He hosted the 2016 Oscars, when some were boycotting the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Said Rock: Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihannas panties. I wasnt invited. In the press room backstage, where winners take a few questions from the media, the academy tried to stifle questions about the incident, at one point stopping Jessica Chastain from talking about it. But that didnt prevent the moment from overwhelming talk at the Oscar afterparties and beyond. Some came to Smiths defense, including Tiffany Haddish, who co-starred with Pinkett Smith in Girls Trip. Advertisement Maybe the world might not like how it went down, but for me, it was the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen because it made me believe that there are still men out there that love and care about their women, their wives, Haddish told People magazine. Smith, meanwhile, merrily posed for photographs with his family outside the Vanity Fair party. Inside, cell phone videos captured him dancing to Gettin Jiggy Wit It while clutching his Oscar. Their son Jaden tweeted: And Thats How We Do It. On Instagram, Smith posted: Me n Jada Pinkett Smith got all dressed up to choose chaos. The drama overshadowed some historical wins at an Oscars. The deaf family drama CODA became the first film with a largely deaf cast to win best picture. For the first time, a streaming service, Apple TV+, took Hollywoods top honor, signaling a profound shift in Hollywood and in moviegoing. Ariana DeBose of West Side Story became the first Afro-Latina and the first openly LGBTQ actor to win best supporting actress. But as stunning as Smiths slap was, it wasnt shocking that such a pivotal moment in the actors life would play out in the public eye. Particularly in recent years, Smith has been among the most candid of stars. While Pinkett Smiths Facebook series Red Table Talk has been a platform for airing family drama, Smith has chronicled his own journey in the YouTube series The Best Shape in My Life, which included one episode documenting Smith discussing his regrets as a parent with his children. Smith also penned, with personal-growth author Mark Manson, the memoir Will, published earlier this year. (It rocketed up Amazon sales rankings Monday to No. 32.) In it, he described how he was molded by his loving but hard-drinking and militaristic father. In one chapter, he recalls as a 9-year-old seeing him hit his mother. Guilt at not protecting his mother, Smith wrote, left with complicated feelings that he connects with fueling his own rise in show business. When his father was elderly and confined to a wheelchair, Smith confessed feeling an impulse to push him down a staircase. My personal journey into the depths of the joys and traumas of my past are definitely helping me to expand and build out a greater emotional toolbox that will allow me to portray more complex characters, Smith said last fall in an interview with The Associated Press. Advertisement For Smith, playing Richard Williams, father to Venus and Serena, in King Richard brought together all of these deep-rooted emotions and it won him the Oscar. It also might have compelled his actions Sunday. Art imitates life, Smith said accepting the award. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams. Associated Press Writers Lindsey Bahr and Hillel Italie contributed to this report. MARGATE A Margate police officer shot and killed an 82-year-old man Sunday afternoon after citizens called 911 about a man who was pointing a gun at people inside Veterans Memorial Park. Shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday, people reported that a man was in the park and marina waving the gun at people and firing it into the ground at 7044 NW First St., said Lt. Alain Banatte, a spokesperson for Margate Police. Advertisement When officers confronted Jose Antonio Suarez, of Margate, he continued to shoot into the ground and waved the gun at the officers, Banatte said. Officers told Suarez multiple times to drop the weapon before he pointed it at them, according to a news release from the department. One officer fired and hit Suarez near the 100 block of Rock Island Road, which is adjacent to the park. Advertisement [ RELATED: Margate Police shoot and kill man they say was choking wife ] Suarez was pronounced dead at the scene. No one was injured. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating, and the officer who fired the fatal shot is on administrative leave, as is customary after police shootings. Suarez was the second man who was shot and killed by a Margate police officer in a month. In late February, an officer fatally shot Louisson Pierrot, 38, after his wife called 911 and said Pierrot was holding her and her child captive. Authorities who went to the home found Pierrot choking his wife, and an officer fired multiple shots. By Jun Sheng While the tension between Russia and Ukraine is protracting, Russia, in the middle of its military operations, has discovered the US-sponsored military biological program carried out in Ukraine and obtained a host of evidence thereof. In face of the increasing doubts and accusations from the international community, the US simply denied them all without giving a comprehensive clarification or accepting multi-lateral verification, which has further aggravated the worlds concerns over its biological military activities and once again proved Washington to be a destroyer of global bio-safety. Since taking effect in 1975, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological(Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, generally known as Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), has played an important role in eliminating the threats of bio-weapons, prohibiting their proliferation, and promoting the peaceful use of biotechnology. However, for all these years, the US, a contracting party to the convention, has been the only country obstructing the establishment of a verification mechanism for it and refusing any verification of its bio-facilities either at home or abroad. This has made the international community even more concerned. On the diplomatic front, the US is in the habit of pointing fingers at other countries on the grounds of compliance with conventions or verification, but it neither cares nor dares to face up to doubts directed at itself. The White House has brushed off the evidence obtained by Russia in Ukraine, including files, photos and physical items, with a simple disinformation. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, the US has been providing technical support for the construction and renovation of some of its bio-labs since 2005. Whats surprising or not is that in face of the international communitys worries and concerns about its sponsorship for bio-labs overseas, US media, the self-claimed paragon of the freedom of the press, has kept quiet except repeating what the US government said without doing field investigations on their own. As a matter of fact, the US carries out the most biological military activities with the least degree of transparency, and whats found in Ukraine is just the tip of an iceberg. The US Department of Defense controls 336 bio-labs in 30 countries worldwide, whose activities it has kept secret while claiming they are used for peaceful purposes and coordination and cooperation. In conducting these biological cooperation and participation programs overseas, it is the US Department of Defense that is engaging with the health authorities in the host countries. These American-supported or funded labs are conducting biological military activities in the disguise of R&D for peaceful purposes. The Fort Detrick (US Army Medical Command installation) in Frederick, Maryland of the US, which inherits the monstrous legacy from Unit 731 of imperialist Japanese troops, has been and remains the research center for Americas bio-warfare, and it has continued to develop and stockpile biological agents of warfare even after America joined the BWC. Fort Detrick is home to a huge amount of viruses that seriously threaten human security and it is prone to many security hazards and loopholes. Having seen multiple security events, the fort was shut down in July 2019, and its connection with the leak and spread of novel coronavirus remains a mystery today. Analysis by experts shows that the global distribution of Americas bio-labs coincides with the origins of some dangerous diseases and viruses that have been spreading in recent years. But the US government is determined to play dumb in front of the intense concerns and questions posed at home and abroad and refuses an investigation by the international community. But truth must come out. Abiding by the BWC is the obligation of all contracting parties. The US should respond to the doubts directed at it, make clarifications, and accept multi-lateral verification. Its stubborn insistence on standing against the international community and its unscrupulous damage of global bio-safety will cast a shadow over the future of the human community. LVIV, Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of lacking courage as his country fights to stave off Russias invading troops, making an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defense in a conflict that has ground into a war of attrition. Speaking after U.S. President Joe Biden said in a lacerating speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not stay in power words the White House immediately sought to downplay Zelenskyy lashed out at the Wests ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets and other weapons while Russian missile attacks kill and trap civilians. Advertisement A Ukrainian serviceman stands in a heavily damaged building in Stoyanka, Ukraine, Sunday, March 27, 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of lacking courage as his country fights to stave off Russia's invading troops, making an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defense in a conflict that has ground into a war of attrition. (VADIM GHIRDA/AP) Ive talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. Im in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing, Zelenskyy said in a video address early Sunday, referring to the besieged southern city that has suffered some of the wars greatest deprivations and horrors. If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage. Russias invasion of Ukraine, now in its 32nd day, has stalled in many areas, its aim to quickly encircle the capital, Kyiv, and force its surrender faltering in the face of staunch Ukrainian resistance bolstered by weapons from the U.S. and other Western allies. Advertisement Britains Defense Ministry said Russias troops looked to be trying to encircle Ukrainian forces directly facing the two separatist-held areas in the countrys east. That would cut the bulk of Ukraines military off from the rest of the country. Moscow claims its focus is on wresting from Ukraine the entirety of the eastern Donbas region, which has been partially controlled by Russia-backed separatists since 2014. A high-ranking Russian military official said Friday that troops were being redirected to the east from other parts of the country. The leader of one of the separatist-controlled areas of Donbas said Sunday that he wants to hold a vote on joining Russia, words that could indicate a shift in Russias position. Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk Peoples Republic, said it plans to hold a referendum on becoming part of Russia in the nearest time. Russia has supported the separatist rebels in Luhansk and neighboring Donetsk since an insurgency erupted there in 2014, shortly after Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. In talks with Ukraine so far, Moscow has urged Kyiv to acknowledge the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, accused Russia of seeking to split Ukraine in two, like North and South Korea. The occupiers will try to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine, Budanov said in a statement released by the Defense Ministry, He predicted that guerrilla warfare by Ukrainians would derail such plans. Ukraine says that to defeat Russia, it needs fighter jets and not just the missiles and other military equipment supplied by the West. A proposal to transfer Polish planes to Ukraine via the United States was scrapped amid NATO concerns about getting drawn into a military conflict with Russia. In his pointed remarks, Zelenskyy accused Western governments of being afraid to prevent this tragedy. Afraid to simply make a decision. Advertisement So, who is in charge of the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it still Moscow, thanks to its scare tactics? he said. Our partners must step up their aid to Ukraine. His plea was echoed by a priest in the western city of Lviv, which was struck by rockets on Saturday. The aerial assault illustrated that Moscow, despite recent assertions that it intends to shift the war eastward, is willing to strike anywhere in Ukraine. When diplomacy doesnt work, we need military support, said the Rev. Yuri Vaskiv, who on Sunday reported fewer parishioners than usual in the pews of his Greek Catholic church, likely because of their fear. Referring to Putin, he said: This evil is from him, and we must stop it. A damaged building and car after recent shelling, in the center of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday, March 27, 2022. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov confirmed that Russian forces used air-launched cruise missiles to hit a fuel depot and a defense plant in Lyiv. He said another strike with sea-launched missiles destroyed a depot with air defense missiles in Plesetske just west of Ukraines capital, Kyiv. The strikes came as Biden wrapped up a visit to Poland, where he met Ukraines foreign and defense ministers, visited U.S. troops and saw refugees from the war. Before leaving, he delivered a forceful and highly personal condemnation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying: For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power. Advertisement Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denounced the remark, saying Its not up to the president of the U.S. and not up to the Americans to decide who will remain in power in Russia. U.S. officials quickly stressed that Biden was not calling for an immediate change in government in Moscow. We do not have a strategy of regime change in Russia, or anywhere else, for that matter, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to Israel. In this case, as in any case, its up to the people of the country in question. Its up to the Russian people. French President Emmanuel Macron distanced himself from Bidens comment, saying it was vital to avoid escalation. We should be factual and ... do everything so that the situation doesnt get out of control, Macron told France-3 television. Macron, who has spoken to Putin several times in so-far-unsuccessful peacemaking efforts, is scheduled to talk again with the Russian leader on Sunday or Monday. Advertisement A chemical smell lingered in the air on Sunday as firefighters in Lviv, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) from the Polish border, trained hoses on flames and black smoke pouring from oil storage tanks hit in the Russian attack. A security guard at the site, Yaroslav Prokopiv, said he saw three rockets strike and destroy two oil tanks but no one was hurt. Russias back-to-back airstrikes shook the city that has become a haven for an estimated 200,000 people who have fled bombarded towns and cities. Lviv, which has largely been spared bombardment, also has been a way-station for most of the 3.8 million refugees who have left Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. In the dim, crowded bomb shelter under an apartment block a short way from the first blast site, Olana Ukrainets, a 34-year-old IT professional, said she couldnt believe she had to hide again after fleeing from the northeastern city of Kharkiv, one of the most bombarded cities of the war. We were on one side of the street and saw it on the other side, she said. We saw fire. I said to my friend, Whats this? Then we heard the sound of an explosion and glass breaking.. In his video address, Zelenskyy angrily warned Moscow that it was sowing a deep hatred for Russia among the Ukrainian people. Advertisement You are doing everything so that our people themselves leave the Russian language, because the Russian language will now be associated only with you, with your explosions and murders, your crimes, Zelenskyy said. Along with the millions of people who have fled Ukraine, the invasion has driven more than 10 million people from their homes, almost one-quarter of Ukraines population. Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed. While Russias advance on Kyiv remans stalled, fighting has raged in the suburbs, and blasts from missiles fired into the city have rattled the St. Sophia Cathedral, a 1,000-year-old UNESCO world heritage site that is the heart of Ukrainian spiritual and national identity. Vadim Kyrylenko, an engineer and conservator who is the most senior manager remaining on site, said a strike nearby would be a point of no return for our landmark because it is very fragile and vulnerable. Pointing at the cathedrals golden domes, Kyrylenko said the cross atop the central one toppled a month before the outbreak of World War II. The cross on the left fell a month before this war, he added. Thousands of patients in Ukraine are receiving lifesaving medicines to treat HIV and opioid addiction through a U.S.-funded group still operating despite the Russian invasion. Supplies are running short and making deliveries is a complicated calculus with unpredictable risks. Officials say the quiet work of the Alliance for Public Health shows how American assistance is reaching individuals in the besieged nation, on a different wavelength from U.S. diplomatic and military support for the Ukrainian government. Advertisement The Ukraine-based humanitarian organization has operated for more than 20 years. It has received millions of dollars from the U.S. Agency for International Development as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other federal programs to counter HIV globally. Executive director Andriy Klepikov said shutting down was not an option during the invasion. Ukraine has one of the most serious HIV epidemics in Western Europe, and patients need their medications daily. Advertisement He said his group made a risk management plan to continue its work if fighting broke out. But it did not envision the scale of the onslaught unleashed by Russian forces, and that has forced the group to adapt. In areas of Ukraine that have escaped the worst, the organization is still able to deliver medications via postal and parcel services. For refugees who have left the country, caseworkers are making connections with aid groups that can restock medications. In places under attack but still in Ukrainian control, medical vans are bringing in supplies via convoys. The group has even been able to get some deliveries into Russian-controlled areas, with the help of intermediaries. It also is distributing medicines for tuberculosis. Asked how long it can keep going, Klepikov responded: We Ukrainians are quite resilient. I am not the best soldier. But in the area of medicine, humanitarian work, public health, human rights __ thats my area, and I will do the maximum possible. He was interviewed by telephone several times recently. We are still serving thousands of people with medications, Klepikov said. Its more than five thousand. The groups fleet of medical vans has been pressed into service to transport injured civilians to hospitals that can treat complex cases, and to deliver essential supplies for daily living. U.S. officials say they have been impressed with the attitude of the Ukrainians, which evokes the tenacity of Britons during the London Blitz in World War II. Going into the war, I think we assumed the services would probably not be working anymore, and we completely understood, said Ryan Keating, a CDC epidemiologist overseeing AIDS prevention and treatment assistance for Ukraine. But in most cases throughout the country our partners have continued to work every day. Advertisement Keating tells of a nurse at a clinic in one hard-hit city, who when the air raid siren sounded, scooped up the HIV medicines first and then hustled to the bomb shelter. Health care staff continued to communicate with clients from the bomb shelter. For the Alliance, every day turns into a test. The group has lost contact with clients in Mariupol, which has a large population of HIV patients. That coastal city has been relentlessly pummeled by the Russians, and reports indicate much of it is reduced to rubble. An Alliance medical van was destroyed during a bombardment, Klepikov said. Normal patterns of communication between clients and their caseworkers and clinicians have been severely disrupted. A clinic or office may be closed. Patients may have moved to safer areas. Messaging apps and online forums have filled some of the gaps, much as telehealth became the fallback in the United States during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. A website supported by the Alliance has become a place for patients to seek counseling for the trauma of war. According to one of the groups periodic situation reports, the top concerns of patients are acute stress, strong anxiety mixed with sadness, fear of death, guilt after evacuating to a safer area, and guilt about not doing enough. The importance of this work increases substantially in the context of war, said Klepikov, who holds a doctorate in philosophy. The U.S. has a long-standing relationship with the Ukrainian group through a program called the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Advertisement Efforts are underway to restock Ukraines supply of medicines, said Dr. Ezra Barzilay, CDCs country director for Ukraine. Antiretroviral drugs are used to treat HIV, and medicines such as buprenorphine and methadone are used for opioid addiction. Two Ukrainian factories that made drugs to treat opioid addiction have been attacked. HIV and opioid addiction are related medical problems because the virus that causes AIDS can be transmitted by infected needles used to inject drugs. The Alliance estimates that 100,000 Ukrainians living with HIV are in cities and districts impacted by the Russian invasion. At the time the war started, more than 17,000 patients with opioid addiction were receiving treatment. Having the drugs in country doesnt necessarily make it work, Barzilay said. You could have thousands of pills in one city and the city next door may not have access. Theyre moving drugs by car from location to location. Program director Klepikov said he remembers a long-ago event with the U.S. ambassador to kick off American support for his organization. Im worried that what weve achieved in 21 years can be destroyed in days because of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. President Joe Bidens health secretary, Xavier Becerra, said the Health and Human Services Department is coordinating with the State Department to deliver medical supplies to Ukraine, and is preparing to help resettle Ukrainian refugees. We want to be there, Becerra told The Associated Press. At HHS, we have a role to play as well. Senator, she said, letting out an audible sigh. In that singular moment, Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson spoke for countless Black women who have had to gather all the patience, strength and grace within to answer insinuating questions about their credentials, qualifications and character. Advertisement It was Day One of questioning at the Senate Judiciary Committee as the Harvard-educated Jackson, the first Black woman to be nominated for the nations highest court, was making history. The federal judge had to endure hours of public scrutiny from skeptics, namely the Republican senators who are erecting a wall of opposition to her landmark nomination, the first in the courts 233-year history, and may vote en bloc against her confirmation. Advertisement It was really traumatizing to watch, said Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and convener of the Black Womens Roundtable. From questioning of Jacksons view of books on critical race theory that drew her exasperated sigh They dont come up in my work as a judge, she said to the loaded suggestion that the sentences she imposed on child pornography defendants were too lenient, the questions from the Republicans tapped into long-standing American grievances over race, class and public safety. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson testifies during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 23, 2022. The Harvard-educated Jackson is making history, the first Black woman nominated in the court's 233 years. (Andrew Harnik/AP) The insinuations that Jackson, a distinguished jurist and mother of two, is a secret radical liberal or poses a danger to the safety of children felt to some supporters as yet another example of highly qualified Black women having to endure indignities and distortions of their credentials, even as they shatter racial barriers in American society. Campbell told The Associated Press that the othering of her, in a sense, like shes against our children, seemed like a tired political tactic. My spirit feels it was to bring this Black woman down because shes about to break the glass ceiling that, once broken, opens the door to more. Democrats praise President Joe Bidens choice of Jackson as long overdue, a chance to start making the court more reflective of the diverse nation it serves. But they have been slow to bolster the judges nomination against the unrelenting attacks and instead allowed them to linger. Over and over during her hearings, Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Josh Hawley of Missouri hammered Jackson on a handful of the many cases she handled as a judge, asking if she regretted having a record that, in their view, is soft on child pornography defendants. No matter how many times Jackson asserted, for example, that the child pornography cases were some of the most difficult of her career or tried to explain the particulars of the law, the GOP senators talked over her, past her and pushed onward in their attempt to portray the nominee as they wished. Advertisement I can only wonder whats your hidden agenda, asked Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., pointing to one of the judges earlier writings. Is it to let violent criminals cop killers and child predators back to the streets? ... Is it your personal hidden agenda to incorporate critical race theory into our legal system? These senators insisted their questions were not about race. In fact, Graham opened with a warning that the questioners would be framed as racist. Were all racists if we ask hard questions. Its not going to fly with us. Yet Republicans ignored analysis that shows Jacksons sentencing record on such cases is on track with other judges appointed by both Democrats and Republican presidents, and that in some cases she went beyond recommendations to come down harder on defendants. What I regret, Jackson told the senators, is that in the hearing about my qualifications to be a justice on the Supreme Court, weve spent a lot of time focusing on this small subset of my sentences. For many supporters of Jackson, the Republicans cherry-picking of her record tarnished a momentous occasion. Nina Turner, a former Ohio state senator who was a prominent surrogate for Sen. Bernie Sanders 2020 Democratic presidential campaign, criticized Democratic members on the committee for not defending Jackson more vigorously. Advertisement She should not have had to endure what she endured, Turner told the AP. The Democratic senators should have used their authority and positioning to show the requisite outrage necessary for that moment. Overall, during her time on the district court bench, Jackson presided over 14 total cases of child sexual abuse, interstate travel for child sexual abuse cases and child pornography. The American Bar Associations standing committee on the federal judiciary said in its survey of some 250 judges, attorneys and academics that words such as brilliant, beyond reproach, fair were used to describe Jackson, who earned the panels highest rating. They uniformly rejected any accusations of bias, said Jean Veta of the ABA committee. In a letter to the Senate committee, Fred Bowman, a University of Missouri law professor and former federal prosecutor, spoke of his dismay at the thought Jackson was somehow soft on these crimes. His letter was signed by other experts in the field. White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates blasted the Republican line of questioning as an embarrassing conspiracy theory that has been conclusively debunked by fact check after fact check. Advertisement But alone before the panel, Jackson had difficulty convincing the Republican senators as she worked to explain the rules judges adhere to and the nuances of the wrenching cases they face. The GOP senators rarely accepted the judges answers and interjected or just ignored her explanations altogether. At one point, Jackson simply stopped answering: Senator, she said to Cruz, Ive said what Im going to say about these cases. No one case can stand in for a judges entire record. By Thursday, as the hearings concluded, Republican leaders in the Senate were using the issue and her refusal to repeat earlier answers as justification for opposing her confirmation. Throughout the four days of testimony, Black women filled many of the seats in the committee room. Those women included some of the leading civil rights figures and members of the Congressional Black Caucus, which ran its own war room to back up Jacksons nomination. LaTosha Brown, cofounder of the group Black Voters Matter, said she had received numerous text messages from Black women who were both outraged by Jacksons treatment from senators and heartened by her clear determination to endure the process. I just got texts that said, Persevere. Advertisement It was a reference to Jacksons own words of advice delivered at the hearing to young people who may have watched what the nominee endured and felt discouraged. Black people in America, Brown said, if we dont know anything else, we know what that word means. Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report. MEDYKA, Poland A slowdown for good or a temporary lull during the storm of war? While the number of refugees who have flooded out of Ukraine nears 4 million, fewer people have crossed the border in recent days. Border guards, aid agencies and refugees themselves say Russias unpredictable war on Ukraine offers few signs whether its just a pause or a permanent drop-off. Advertisement Some Ukrainians are sticking it out to fight or help defend their country. Others have left their homes but are staying elsewhere in Ukraine to wait and see how the winds of war will blow. Still others are elderly or ill and need extra help moving anywhere. And some remain, as one refugee put it, because homeland is homeland. In the first two weeks after Russias invasion on Feb. 24, about 2.5 million people in Ukraines pre-war population of 44 million left the country to avoid the bombs and bloodshed. In the second two weeks, the number of refugees was roughly half that. Advertisement The total exodus now stands at 3.87 million, according to the latest tally announced Monday from UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency. But in the previous 24 hours, only 45,000 people crossed Ukraines borders to seek safety, the slowest one-day count yet, and for four of the last five days the numbers have not surpassed 50,000 a day. In contrast, on March 6 and March 7, over 200,000 people a day left Ukraine. People who were determined to leave when war breaks out fled in the first days, explained Anna Michalska, a spokeswoman for the Polish border guards. Ukrainian refugees wait for a transport at the central train station in Warsaw, Poland, March 27, 2022. (Czarek Sokolowski/AP) Even if the exodus is easing, theres no understating the scope of it. UNHCR says the war has triggered Europes worst refugee crisis since World War II, and the speed and breadth of refugees fleeing to countries including Poland, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia as well as Russia is unprecedented in recent times. Poland alone has taken in 2.3 million refugees and Romania nearly 600,000. The United States has vowed to take in 100,000. Even the devastating 11-year war in Syria, source of the worlds biggest refugee crisis, didnt force out so many people so fast. We hope that hopefully the trend of new arrivals will decrease. But I dont think theres any guarantee of that until theres a political solution to the war, said Alex Mundt, UNHCRs senior emergency coordinator in Poland. The International Organization for Migration has also estimated that more 6.5 million people in Ukraine have been driven from their homes by the Russian invasion but remain displaced inside the country, suggesting that a large pool of potential refugees still awaits. IOM said another 12 million people are believed to be trapped in places where fighting has been intense, or dont want to leave. Sadly, there are a lot of people who are not able to leave, either because transportation routes have been cut off or they just dont have the means arrive to safety in the neighboring countries, IOM spokesman Jorge Galindo told The Associated Press in Medyka, a Polish border town. Advertisement Jewish groups have begun an effort to bring frail Holocaust survivors out of Ukraine, but each person requires a team of rescue workers to extract such refugees. Now Im too old to run to the bunker. So I just stayed inside my apartment and prayed that the bombs would not kill me, said 83-year-old Holocaust survivor Tatyana Zhuravliova, a retired doctor who was relocated to a nursing home in Germany last week. Michalska, the Polish border guard spokeswoman, suggested that many Ukrainians who have already fled have left the areas most affected by the fighting, and future battles could determine whether civilians in other areas decide to leave. We cannot exclude that there will be more waves of refugees in the future, Michalska said by phone. Aid agencies are not letting up in their efforts, helping those who have already gotten out of Ukraine and preparing in case new surges of refugees arrive. At the border post in Medyka, Poland, shopping trolleys filled with luggage still rattle down a small path leading from passport control, through a village of aid tents to buses waiting to carry Ukrainian refugees to a nearby town. Advertisement Maybe people are waiting it out, to see if their city will get attacked or not, said Alina Beskrovna, 31, who fled the devastated, besieged southeastern city of Mariupol. She and her mother left the city five days ago but even to get to the border they had to cross 18 checkpoints: 16 Russian and two Ukrainian. She alluded to new Russian airstrikes over the weekend near Ukraines western city of Lviv, which has been a key refuge for Ukrainians fleeing after the invasion ordered by Russian President Vladmir Putin. Putin is very unpredictable. And judging from what happened in Lviv two days ago, I think it will not stop in my region, it will not stop at Ukraine, she said. It will go further, so the world should prepare for more waves to come. Oksana Mironova, a 35-year-old refugee from Kyiv, said: It is not getting any better definitely not. We would like to believe it will improve, but unfortunately we need to escape. Yet even in the face of Russian airstrikes that obliterate apartment buildings, shopping malls and schools, the pull of home remains strong. Olena Vorontsova, 50, fled the capital of Kyiv. Advertisement Many people just do not want to leave their homes, because homeland is homeland, she said. Keaten reported from Geneva. Bassam Hatoum in Medyka, Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Poland, and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report. Rejecting criticism that it would harm the LGBTQ community, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday the controversial measure derided as the dont say gay bill. We will make sure that parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination, DeSantis said at the Classical Preparatory School in Spring Hill. The school chosen for the bill signing ceremony was founded in 2011 by Anne Corcoran, the wife of state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, who is also a former Republican speaker of the House. Advertisement House Bill 1557, officially known as the Parental Rights in Education, was passed by the Legislature earlier this month. It will prohibit discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools up to the third grade and limits it to age-appropriate students in higher grades. Parents will also be able to sue school districts over the issue. Republicans argued the bill protects parental rights, while Democrats and LGBTQ groups contend it was intentionally vague and could have a chilling effect on teachers, students and the LGTBQ community. The bill has also been criticized by Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who suspended the companys political contributions in Florida in response. Advertisement The bill should never have passed and should never have been signed into law, the Walt Disney Co. said in an unsigned statement Monday. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. Plans are already in the works to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new law, said Joe Saunders, senior political director for Equality Florida and a former state representative. He expects the suit to kill the bill. Its dark legacy will be short-lived in the state of Florida, Saunders said. The bill has gained intense attention for weeks, with Oscars co-host Wanda Sykes joking Sunday, Were going to have a great night tonight. And for you people in Florida, were going to have a gay night. On Monday, DeSantis said, I dont care what corporate media outlets say, I dont care what Hollywood says, I dont care what big corporations say. Here I stand. Im not backing down. He also accused opponents of the bill of resorting to sloganeering because they couldnt argue against the bill on its merits. We did nothing but argue the merits of the bill, which is intentionally vague and overbroad, said Rep. Carlos G. Smith, D-Orlando, and the Legislatures first openly LGBTQ Latin member. He said the bill was intentionally designed to have a chilling effect on the ability of students and teachers to discuss LGBT issues, history and culture. This is an attempt to censor and exclude an entire group of people from our schools for his political gain, Smith added, saying his office launched a smear campaign that equated the LGBTQ community with groomers and pedophiles. Advertisement Critics specific concerns over parts of the bill include the unclear wording about banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity that isnt age appropriate. They note that the word or within the law means it could be enforced beyond kindergarten through third grade. The full sentence reads, Classroom 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. Corcoran said the state Board of Education will determine the definition of age appropriate, adding that people know what age appropriate is and that most teachers want guardrails. Opponents also are concerned that the lack of confidentiality and trust between students and their counselors or teachers would be damaged. They would be required to tell parents about any changes in their childs mental or emotional well-being, or changes in the services they are being provided, unless a reasonably prudent person would believe that disclosure would result in abuse, abandonment or neglect. An amendment from GOP state Sen. Jeff Brandes that would have widened the classroom instruction ban to human sexuality, instead of orientation and identity, also failed to pass. Smith offered a similar amendment in the House but it also failed. The bills Republican sponsors were openly vocal about the bill targeting LGBTQ students by the time it passed, with state Sen. Dennis Baxley complaining about everybody now is all about coming out when youre in school. Advertisement Despite the specific criticisms over the bills language, DeSantis has continued to claim that opponents, including Chapek, hadnt bothered to read the bill. DeSantis claimed Monday that some opponents have read it but support injecting woke gender ideology and are trying to camouflage their true intentions. DeSantis praised the aspects of the law that would require parents to be told about what they tell teachers or counselors, saying, Americans support the right of parents to be informed and to be able to withhold consent over certain types of medical treatments in school. Classical Prep has a chapter of the conservative student group Young Americans for Freedom, which has strongly backed the bill. At the ceremony, children stood behind the governor holding signs that said, Protect Children, Support Parents. Disneys Chapek, who has been slammed by LGBTQ groups because of his initial silence on the issue, apologized to employees after the bill passed the Legislature. You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down, Chapek wrote in the letter, in which he announced Disney would pause all political contributions in Florida and work to oppose similar bills in other states. Advertisement Disney, the largest single-site employer in Florida with about 60,000 workers, had given about $55 million to Republicans, Democrats and political committees in the state over the past 28 years, including about $5 million in 2020 and more than $2 million in 2022, state records show. The company had also contributed more than $100,000 to the Friends of Ron DeSantis PAC since 2019. The company also pledged $5 million to LGTBQ groups, but one of the largest, the Human Rights Campaign refused Disneys money until we see them build on their public commitment. A Disney employee walkout in protest of the bill took place last week in California. But in Florida, union leaders did not support the walkout because it violates a no-strike provision of its contract with Disney World. Only one person was observed openly protesting in Orlando. Jamiyah Mitchell seems like any other 12-year-old girl, but her birth was far from typical. On Oct. 8, 2008, her mother, Latricia Mitchell, went to Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines in severe pain. Four hours later, she delivered baby Jamiyah by cesarean section after monitors detected a weak heartbeat, asphyxiation and a stroke, among other problems. The newborn girl started having seizures immediately and was kept in the neonatal intensive care unit for seven days. Advertisement Today Jamiyah is able to walk and function in most aspects of everyday life for an average girl her age, but she suffers from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and has a learning disability, according to the bill filed last August by Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, seeking $795,000 to compensate for the hospitals negligence. Latricia and Jerald Mitchell sued the South Broward Hospital District in 2013, and the court awarded them $995,000. But a state cap on what a person can collect from a state or local government agency meant the Mitchells could only get $200,000. Advertisement For the rest they had to find a lawyer and a lobbyist, and a legislator to sponsor and file a bill to help them get the money a court said they were entitled to, and which the hospital district said it wouldnt challenge. Theyve been trying for the past three years to get the money that a Florida court said they are owed. The Legislature has never heard the bill. Their situation is not unique for those seeking compensation rightfully owed because of the harm inflicted by a negligent doctor, a reckless deputy or a miscarriage of justice. Of the 18 claim bills filed this session seeking relief, including one filed for $25 million on behalf of the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting, only five were granted. Relief bills, as they are known, get lost in a bureaucratic maze overseen by a Legislature leadership reluctant to give money to people who win settlements in the millions of dollars against police departments, sheriffs offices, hospital districts and state agencies, critics say. Asked to explain the bottleneck of bills, totaling $94 million this session alone, a spokesperson for Senate President Wilton Simpson said, You should reach out to the bill sponsors. A request for comment from House Speaker Chris Sprowls was not returned. The lack of action comes as the state has built up more than $9 billion in reserves largely because of federal pandemic relief money and a stronger-than-expected economy, which also helped to fuel a historic $112.1 billion state budget. Long road to follow Most of the people who file claim bills have already had a circuit court find in their favor and determine an amount they should receive. Advertisement Those court cases can take years to resolve, and because of sovereign immunity laws the amount a plaintiff actually receives at first is capped at either $100,000, $200,000 or $300,000 depending on the circumstances and the agency sued. Getting a sponsor to file a bill for the remainder of the money is the next step. After that, the bill must go before a special master, appointed by the Senate president or House Speaker to examine evidence, take testimony and issue a report determining whether the person is entitled to damages. The Senate President or House Speaker also is responsible for assigning the bill to at least one committee. The report is confidential until the bill is taken up by the first committee scheduled to hear it. If it doesnt get heard, the report remains confidential. Only five of the 18 bills filed prior to the 2022 session made it to a committee hearing and were approved by the Legislature. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to why some bills were heard and others werent. Advertisement For example, a bill to award $10 million to a Broward County sheriffs deputy who was shot in the head 17 years ago by a fleeing motorcyclist who should have been jailed never got a chance to be heard in committee. Neither did a $15 million bill for a St. Augustine Beach woman who was severely injured in an accident that was blamed on a St. Johns County sheriffs deputy. Some of them were approved on their second or third attempt. They include Kareem Hawari, who got $3.5 million. The 13-year-old middle school student was injured in 2010 during a wrestling tournament due to the negligence of Osceola County School Board employees. Donna Catalano received $3.175 million. A Monticello resident and former Tallahassee Memorial Hospital emergency room nurse, she was in a head-on collision with a state Department of Agriculture employee in 2019. The bills still need to be signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis before they become law. People wrongfully jailed Clogging up the system are the wrongful incarceration claims that are lumped in with the cases against agencies. Advertisement Bills for four men who were wrongfully incarcerated never saw their way to a committee hearing this year after appearing before a special master. It was the first year for Leonard Cure of Dania Beach, who was exonerated in 2020, but Barney Brown of Miami-Dade County, Robert Earl DuBoise of Tampa and Scotty Bartek of Ocala have been trying for years to get compensated for the years they wasted away in prison. If they had no prior convictions, they would not have to go through the claim bill process, and instead could have filed a claim with the state attorney to get paid $50,000 for each year they were wrongfully incarcerated. A clean hands clause unique to Floridas compensation law keeps people with unrelated prior crimes from using the state attorney route. That has been a point of contention for an increasingly long time, several years, said Mark Schlackman, senior program director for the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights at Florida State University. In large part, these are leadership decisions. The last time the Legislature approved a wrongful incarceration claim was in 2020. Rep. Traci Koster, R-Clearwater, filed a bill to streamline the process by eliminating the clean hands clause, but her bill suffered the same fate as other sponsors who filed similar legislation in the years before her. I dont know what to take away from it. It was a great bill, an important issue, Koster said. She hopes to file it again next year, in conjunction with the Innocence Project of Florida, which helped draft it. Advertisement The Innocence Project has helped exonerate dozens of wrongfully convicted inmates over the years. But they often have a hard time getting compensated for their time in prison. Of the 78 exonerated in Florida, only 10 have been received the money. Koster said she agreed to sponsor the bill because it seemed like the right thing to do. These folks paid their debt to their original crime and now why are they paying again for a crime they didnt commit, she said. If we could fix the clean hands policy and open the door it would eliminate these roadblocks. Given time, she said, she thinks her fellow legislators will come around. I need to educate my colleagues, Koster said. Sometimes people think the Innocence Project is soft on crime, but there was no crime. They are innocent. In this Thursday, June 10, 2021, file photo, a pair of migrant families from Brazil pass through a gap in the border wall to reach the United States after crossing from Mexico to Yuma, Ariz., to seek asylum. The American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups say they are ending settlement talks with the Biden administration over a demand to lift a pandemic-related ban on families seeking asylum in the United States. The breakdown comes three days after two nongovernmental organizations said they were halting work with the administration to identify particularly vulnerable migrants stuck in Mexico for exemptions to Title 42, named for a 1944 public health law. The administration has denied many families and nearly all single adults an opportunity to seek asylum on grounds of preventing spread of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia, File) (Eugene Garcia/AP) Many immigration advocates and organizations celebrated a federal courts March 4 ruling that the U.S. government can no longer expel asylum-seeking families to places where they are likely to face torture or persecution. This Trump-era policy has been in place for the last two years, under a law known as Title 42. The courts decision raises new questions about its future, but one thing is clear: The need to fully restore access to asylum remains as urgent as ever. Enacted in 1944, Title 42 was invoked by the Trump administration in 2020 to enable the rapid expulsion of migrant families at the border without offering them a chance to seek protection. The law has been defended under the pretext of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, even though it has been condemned by dozens of public health experts in an open letter as xenophobia masquerading as a public health measure. Despite Joe Bidens explicit campaign promise to respect the human right to seek asylum, his administration has continued the policy. Advertisement Joshua Leach is a public policy and communications strategist at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). The Trump and Biden administrations combined have carried out nearly two million expulsions under Title 42, even while other public health measures have been rolled back. The CDC makes the decision every 60 days whether to keep this policy in place. That means, every 60 days for the last two years, the government has chosen to deny people a chance to interview with an asylum officer and instead send them back to the countries they have fled often putting them in serious, even life-threatening, danger. There have been more than 8,700 recorded cases in which migrants have been kidnapped or attacked after being expelled from the United States. The March 4 ruling continues to allow the government to expel families without a chance to seek asylum, unless these families would be sent to countries where they are likely to face persecution or torture. The court was silent on how this requirement should be implemented, and on whether migrants even need to be asked about their fear of violence before being expelled. This leaves a gaping and dangerous loophole in place, allowing the Biden administration to keep sidestepping its humanitarian obligations. Advertisement The court didnt just allow the federal government to continue denying access to asylum, albeit under unclear conditions. It also went out of its way to allow the government to expel people to third countries, making it almost impossible for them to prove they face the same risks. It also allows asylum-seekers to be detained if they cannot be immediately expelled. This is no victory for migrant justice or human rights. Because of the way the plaintiffs were defined in the lawsuit, the courts decision only applies to families traveling with minor children. Adults traveling alone or families traveling without children under 18 will still be treated the same way as before even if they are likely to face persecution. To its credit, the Biden administration did amend Title 42 to prevent children traveling without a parent from being expelled. That is where a radically different court decision comes in. Within just a few hours of the other decision, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the administration had no right to exempt unaccompanied children from expulsion under Title 42 because such an exemption was arbitrary and capricious. This prompted the CDC to formally terminate Title 42 with respect to unaccompanied kids, which we hope will be enough to prevent the judges order from ever going into effect. But the risk of further litigation remains. Our heads were left spinning after these two dueling decisions. What is clear, however, is that neither decision would finally stop Title 42 in its entirety. The need remains as urgent as ever for the Biden administration to scrap this policy once and for all and stop these expulsions. We will not be fooled by partial measures. We will not settle for anything less than the full restoration of access to asylum. There have been reports the Biden administration is planning to inform the Mexican government that Title 42 could come to an end next month. We certainly hope those reports are accurate, and that the president will finally honor his commitment to reopen processing for asylum-seekers at the border, permanently ending this unjust and baseless policy. As we approach the two-year mark since Title 42 was first invoked to expel asylum-seekers, the arguments in favor of ending it have never been stronger. This policy has never been justified, lawful or morally sound. If President Biden doesnt end it now, families and children will keep being thrown into imminent, life-threatening danger. We repeat our demand with as much urgency as ever: Mr. President, take action now to end Title 42 once and for all and fully restore access to asylum. Joshua Leach is a public policy and communications strategist at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). Legal office of lawyers, justice and law concept : Wooden judge gavel or a wood hammer and a soundboard used by a judge person on a desk in a courtroom with a blurred brass scale of justice behind. (William_Potter/Getty Images/iStockphoto) The 2022 legislative session was contentious, to say the least. One bill awaiting the governors signature is about bringing divorce laws in Florida out of the Stone Age to reflect family life in todays world not the 1950s. Does anyone know that permanent alimony still exists in Florida? Why do the courts still prevent permanent alimony payers from retiring? The governor has on his desk a bill (SB 1796) that will modernize divorce in Florida by ending permanent alimony and allowing alimony payers to retire. It wont pull the rug out from under ex-spouses, because safeguards will not let them suffer financial devastation. Sure, some lawyers are opposed because it will reduce their ability to continue contentious lawsuits that cause divorcing families to lose more assets. Governor, the legislature has spoken and the ball is in your court. Sign this bill and keep families out of court. Advertisement Jeffrey Dombeck, Boynton Beach This chart from Gov. Ron DeSantis' office shows that as of March 21, public opinion was in favor of him signing the bill to end permanent alimony in Florida. (Governor's Office) Senatorial abuse Republican senators unrelentingly and viciously grilled Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson at her Supreme Court confirmation hearings, and she often was not allowed to answer their questions. Witnessing the undignified and hateful conduct of Sens. Cruz, Hawley, Graham, Blackburn and Cotton, it was obvious that the judge was a victim of cruel and unusual punishment. Those senators should be removed from any similar proceedings. Advertisement Donald Kogan, Boca Raton Remembering Vietnam Tuesday, March 29 is National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The Vietnam era is said to be from 1964 to 1973 and 8.7 million individuals served in the military then but not all went to Vietnam. Two to three million people served in Vietnam and about 25% who were drafted served in combat. I volunteered, was trained in radar and surface-to-air missiles and was stationed at a base in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive of 1967-68. The Vietnam War was the most divisive conflict in American history. (Patrick Christain / Hulton Archive via Getty Images) I learned that the media is important to bring about understanding. Conflict leads to misinformation. War is about death, destruction and rebuilding. I developed empathy for human rights. Leaders must believe in peace. More than 400,000 civilians died in the war in Vietnam. The U.S. and allies had more than 58,000 deaths and it continues to this day from wounds mental and physical. The South Vietnam military, North Vietnam military and the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (Viet Cong) had deaths from war numbering possibly 1 million. China and the Soviet Union (Russia) supplied weaponry, intelligence, food, money and advice to North Vietnam. Louis Cohen, Tamarac Reflections of Putin After reading This is why Putin cant back down by columnist David Brooks, I now understand Donald Trumps praise for Vladimir Putin. If Trump were to stand in front of a full-length mirror, the reflection would be Putin. The similarities are so blatant in how both men manipulate supporters with false premises. Putin and Trump revel in that their supporters lack compassion for others not of their ilk and dont have the capacity to employ critical thinking. Ernie Garcia, Pembroke Pines If you already subscribe to our print edition, sign up for FREE access to our online edition. Thanks for reading The Henderson News. 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. By Zhou Haijun and Fan Heng Chinese peacekeeping engineers level an airport runway. (Photo from the PLA Daily) WAU, South Sudan, March 28 -- After more than a week of intense construction, the 12th Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingent to South Sudan (Wau) completed the repair task of Tonj Airport with high standards on March 24, local time, winning high acclaim from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and local government. Due to serious runway damage, the Tonj Airport, located in Warrap State, no longer met the requirements of aircraft take-off and landing and has been out of use for a long time. Upon receiving the task, the Chinese contingent dispatched more than ten engineering vehicles to level and repair the 1,300-meter-long runway. The airport means a lot for local transportation and economic development, the UN force projection and material supply, and the humanitarian relief to this area. Following the repair task completed, it is capable of multiple aircraft take-off, landing and parking, playing an active role in the development of the entire Tonj area. "The Tonj Airport is important to local economic development and people's livelihood. Thanks the Chinese peacekeeping engineers!" said the Governor of Warrap State at the construction site. Leading global experts from the water and utility management sectors and several high-ranking government officials discussed ways to better safeguard our planets most precious but finite natural resource at the Expo 2020 Dubais Water Week. It was the final of 10 Theme Weeks across the World Expos six-month run, which ended on March 26, after seven days of expert discussions that covered key topics such as water security, future technologies and indigenous peoples knowledge as standout themes. The Theme Week, a collaboration between Expo 2020 Dubai, the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, began on March 20, with World Majlis panel discussion Deep Blue: The (Other) Final Frontier a collaboration with the Portugal Pavilion held at Terra The Sustainability Pavilion. Speakers included Ricardo da Piedade Abreu Serrao Santos, Minister of the Sea, Government of Portugal; Kathleen Swalling, maritime law and strategy advisor, and Managing Director, Nature Based Solutions and Burton Jones, Professor of Oceanography, the Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Jones warned of exploiting the deep sea without appreciating the environmental ramifications. "Its a unique ecosystem - we dont fully understand that ecosystem yet so, if we go start exploiting these before we understand the ecological aspects of it, we have the potential to destroy it before we knew what we had," he noted. The next day, March 21, saw Nina Jensen, the CEO of REV Ocean, a state-of-the-art research vessel, and former Secretary-General of WWF Norway, join other maritime experts for a marine habitat-focused World Majlis, touting the role of next-gen robotics, AI and satellite monitoring in protecting marine ecosystems. Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Saeed Mohammed Ahmad Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dewa and Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, then opened the Water Business Forum. It was a co-curation between Expo 2020 Dubai, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Estonia, held at Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) on Tuesday, as Water Week approached the halfway mark on World Water Day (March 22). Al Mazrouei spoke on the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, while Al Tayer dubbed water security as a matter of national importance for the UAE. Erki Savisaar, Estonias Minister of Environment, touted the European countrys digitalisation success in water management in a later panel, alongside Dr Markus Lade, General Manager, Water & Wastewater, Siemens (Official Infrastructure Digitalisation Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai), who spotlighted the role of data in identifying and stopping water leakages. Later that day (March 22), water experts gathered at Nexus for People and Planet event in a series of discussions tasked with reimagining the planet's relationship with water and exploring innovations to improve sustainable water use. Mark Harbers, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands, spoke on protecting the countrys groundwater reserves. "In the Netherlands, the three extremely dry summers we've had since 2018 have been a wake-up call in higher areas, groundwater levels are still too low That's why we're here to find these answers, to implement them rapidly and to take better care of our joint treasure our groundwater. Groundwater may be out of sight, but it must not be out of our minds," he added. The Nexus also hosted expert discussion The Indian Ocean|A Shared Heritage and Sustainable Future the following day with speaker Randall Mabwa, Regional Communications Officer, Blue Ventures, touting indigenous communities key roles in coastal conversation success. "Once you realise that they have the right for management resources, then you put them first: its not nature and then people, its people and then nature," stated Mabwa. "That's why this is called Programme for People and Planet the people take care of the resources if you secure their rights. It's just putting them first," he added.-TradeArabia News Service SSH, one of the leading masterplanning, infrastructure, building design and construction supervision firms in the Middle East, has secured the contract to develop the concept design for the new Diriyah Sales Centre in capital Riyadh. The area has been under the administration of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) since 2017 and is located within the Diriyah Gate masterplan, a mixed-use destination set to become Saudi Arabias foremost historic cultural and lifestyle destination. The Diriyah Sales Centre will be a free-standing, purpose-built structure that offers potential investors (land and real estate buyers, leasing clients, etc.) in the Diriyah area, a dynamic exhibition, showcasing the tremendous investment opportunities within the overall DGDAs administration area which encompasses both Diriyah Gate and Wadi Safar exclusive community towards the west. Concept design According to SSH, the scope of work includes the development of concept design, as well as to provide design guardianship to protect the design intent of the project throughout construction. Diriyah Sales Centre will be constructed on a 19,000-sq-m area, with a built up area (BUA) of 2,450 sq m and a maximum height of 12 m built over ground and first floor levels, it added. On the contract win, Arkam Alshaikhly, the Design Principal at SSH, said: "It is an honour for us to have been appointed by a prestigious client such as the DGDA. As weve delivered several luxury hospitality projects in the past, we are confident that this one will meet the clients expectations." Located within close proximity of Al Bujairi, approximately 500 m east of the historic town centre, the Diriyah Sales Centre will be designed to serve as an immersive and ultra-high luxury hospitality and exhibition venue, he added.-TradeArabia News Service The first live and in-person construction event since the onset ofCovid-19 opened in Riyadh, The Big 5 Saudi, a leading event for the kingdom's construction industry, opened its doors today (March 28) in the capital Riyadh featuring some 400 exhibiting companies and 30 nations, including country pavilions from Italy, Germany, the UAE, Greece, Kuwait, Poland, Spain, Egypt and Qatar. The first live and in-person construction event since the onset of Covid-19, Big 5 Saudi is likely to attract 15,000 industry professionals. Previously held in Jeddah, the leading expo brand is making its Riyadh debut this year and is being held the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Now in its 10th year, the Big 5 Saudi will see companies showcase some 1,000 construction products and solutions over the next three days. It is co-located with specialised events such as HVAC R Expo Saudi, FM Expo Saudi, Clean Expo Saudi and Stone & Surface Saudi Arabia, thus showcasing products for the complete construction cycle in one place, at one time. This years event includes The Big 5 Saudi Construction Leadership Summit, which will provide direction, inspiration and support decisions on key themes covering economy, collaboration, technology and people. Key speakers for the summit include: Maryam Telmasani, Board Chair, United Nations Global Impact; Walid Al Murshed, Head of International Finance Corporation, IFC; Dr Anas Bataw, Director, Centre of Excellence in Smart Construction (CESC), Heriot-Watt University; Dr Walid Mahmoud, CEO, Aecom Arabia, and Alaa Abusiam, CEO, EGIS Group, amongst others. The speakers will deliver impactful content sessions on the economic outlook of the industry including its growth opportunities and how the construction industry is driving the future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Also included in the event are The Big 5 Saudis 50 free CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certified educational sessions, encompassing all disciplines in the construction industry, which will support the ongoing development of the industrys young professionals helping discover industry best practices and advancing careers. The Big 5 Saudi and Stone & Surface Saudi 2022 is sponsored by Al Bawani Company; UCC Holding; Thabat; Souq Penny; Afaq Wood Industries Factory; Esad Services Group; Raknor; and Topwerk Middle East. Main sponsors for The HVAC R Saudi Expo are Carrier and Shaker LG. The FM Expo Saudi and Saudi Clean Expo is sponsored by Al Hajry Overseas Co; Al Majal Al Arabi Group and Takamul Aloula Facility Management.-TradeArabia News Service UAE-based M Glory Group today (March 28) laid the foundation stone for the country's first industrial facility for manufacture of electric vehicles (EV) at Dubai Industrial City, being set up at an investment of AED1.5 billion ($408.3 million). The sustainable industrial facility, with advanced capabilities will be the UAEs first plant of its kind and is expected to produce 55,000 cars per year to meet a rising demand for green mobility solutions. The new factory, being built on a total land area of 1 million sq ft, will create more than 1,000 jobs and comes as part of M Glory's future expansion plans. Announcing the new venture, the company officials said the group aims to benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution and sustainability by employing future technologies and robotics in the manufacture of EVs. The corporations new facility will be an extension to their portfolio, which includes robotics engineering and artificial intelligence as well as sustainable real estate. These electric cars will be exported to the wider GCC region, Egypt, Tanzania, Senegal, Mali and Kenya, it stated. During the event, M Glory unveiled its first fully electric car named 'Al Damani - DMV300'. With two different models being built using European specifications, the car has a battery capacity of 52.7 kWh and can cover more than 405km on a single charge. Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary at Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), said:"The aim of these projects is to make vital sectors in UAE, including the industrial and technological sectors, more attractive to investors. It will also help industries of the future to develop new competitive advantages and boost UAE's position as a hub for global investments and talents." Dr Magda Al Azazi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of M Glory Holding Group, said: "Today we are inaugurating an Emirati industrial facility with international specifications where we will manufacture eco-friendly electric cars, contributing to global efforts to cut carbon emissions and support sustainable development." According to her, the new M Glory factory will operate through two production cycles per year. It will employ the technologies and techniques of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including a welding line, a dyeing line and a final assembly line using the latest robots in the manufacturing processes. "The factory will produce a variety of electric cars, the types and details of which will be revealed during the coming period,"stated Dr Al Azazi. These cars will be competitive and durable as they are compatible with the environment and atmosphere of the Gulf region and will constitute a qualitative addition to the electric car sector, she added. On the upcoming plant, Saud Abu Al Shawareb, Managing Director of Industrial City, said: "Sustainability is a global responsibility and transitioning to alternative, low emission energy sources is an integral part of achieving a greener future." "The manufacturing industry can play an essential role in enabling the national net zero strategy by delivering innovative, technology-backed solutions in line with Operation 300bn and powered by our partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology," he stated. "M Glorys addition to our community demonstrates our commitment to boosting the manufacturing industry, as well as supportive environment that empowers local manufacturers like M Glory to set up operations and fuel the Make it in the Emirates initiative," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Batelco has been ranked the number one certified organization in the telecommunications sector across the GCC in 2021 as a great workplace, by Great Place to Work Institute Middle East; the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Bahrain's leading telecom company said this was the second consecutive year that it had been recognised by GPTW as the only telecom in this region to achieve the certification. The Great Place to Work institute relies on specific criteria to evaluate the work environment based on its vast experiences in the field, and thousands of studies of the best workplaces around the world. Every company is evaluated by a Trust Index; a questionnaire based on five principles to establish an employees definition of an ideal working environment. Batelcos certification is based on direct feedback from all company team members, provided as part of a survey about the workplace experience. Faisal Aljalahma, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Batelco, said: "This is a great achievement and a very proud moment for Batelco. Getting such a prestigious award for the second year in a row reflects the success of the initiatives and commitment by Batelco in continually transforming our corporate culture and delivering top class development opportunities and benefits." "Over the past year, we have implemented a number of programmes and internal initiatives to motivate our team members, supporting them to unleash their full potential, which has contributed to the outstanding performance of Batelco during 2021," observed Aljalahma. "As part of that, we have adopted a comprehensive career management framework designed for all business units to further facilitate team members growth and development, unlocking their potential by elevating the level of their capabilities and skills," he explained. "In addition, our customized executive education programme, delivered in collaboration with London Business School with the aim of providing Batelco with a continuous pipeline of high potential young team members to prepare future leaders within the organization, concluded successfully," he stated. "Our sustained recognition as a Great Place to Work stems from the great efforts made by all team members of Batelco and positions us as a benchmark for global tech companies," he added. Great Place to Work ME Group CEO Dr Michael Burchell said: "I am proud that Batelco has been certified as a great workplace for the second consecutive year. A leader in our regional telecom industry, they are the only telecommunications organization to be certified this year in the GCC." "Moreover, from over 10,000 applicants across 60 countries, Batelco has demonstrated a commitment to creating a great workplace for its people. And consumers can take pride knowing that they will receive outstanding service from employees that work in a great workplace," he added. UAE-based M Glory Group today (March 28) laid the foundation stone for the country's first industrial facility for manufacture of electric vehicles (EV) at Dubai Industrial City, being set up at an investment of AED1.5 billion ($408.3 million). The sustainable industrial facility, with advanced capabilities will be the UAEs first plant of its kind and is expected to produce 55,000 cars per year to meet a rising demand for green mobility in bid to reduce global carbon emissions. The new factory at Dubai Industrial City will create more than 1,000 jobs and is built on a total land area of 1 million sqft to accommodate future expansion plans. The electric cars will be exported to the wider GCC region, Egypt, Tanzania, Senegal, Mali and Kenya, it stated. Announcing the new venture, M Glory Holding officials said the group aims to benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution and sustainability by employing future technologies and robotics in the manufacture of EVs. The corporations new facility will be an extension to their portfolio, which includes robotics engineering and artificial intelligence as well as sustainable real estate. During the event, M Glory also unveiled its first fully electric car named 'Al Damani - DMV300'. With two different models being built using European specifications, the car has a battery capacity of 52.7 kWh and can cover more than 405km on a single charge. Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary at The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), said the ministry, in coordination with partners from the UAEs industrial sector, is implementing a package of projects and initiatives under the UAEs national industrial strategy. "The aim of these projects is to make vital sectors in the UAE, including the industrial and technological sectors, even more attractive to investors. They will also help industries of the future to develop new competitive advantages and consolidate the position of the UAE as a hub for global companies, investments and talents," he stated. Dubai Industrial City, part of Tecom, is one of the most prominent industrial and logistics hubs in the region with more than 280 factories and 750 business partners across several strategic sectors. It is a major contributor to achieving several national strategies including the Operations 300 billion. Dubai Industrial City and MoIAT recently have signed a deal designed to further enhance the UAEs industrial sector while facilitating decarbonization efforts. Dr Magda Al Azazi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of M Glory Holding Group, said: "Today we are laying the foundation stone to inaugurate an Emirati industrial facility with international specifications where we will manufacture environmentally-friendly electric cars, contributing to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and support sustainable development." The new M Glory factory will operate through two production cycles per year. It will employ the technologies and techniques of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including a welding line, a dyeing line and a final assembly line using the latest robots in the manufacturing processes. "The factory will produce a variety of electric cars, the types and details of which will be revealed during the coming period,"stated Dr Al Azazi. These cars will be competitive and durable as they are compatible with the environment and atmosphere of the Gulf region and will constitute a qualitative addition to the electric car sector. "The ministry is focused on encouraging local manufacturers to diversify and develop their production to support the growth of national industries and enhance their competitiveness. The establishment of a factory to produce electric vehicles in the country is in line with the ministry's efforts to create new competitive advantages for advanced industries. It is also in line with the goals of the Make in the Emirates campaign, launched by the ministry, which focuses on enhancing the future and sustainability of industries," she added. On the upcoming plant, Saud Abu Al Shawareb, Managing Director of Industrial City, said: "Sustainability is a global responsibility and transitioning to alternative, low emission energy sources is an integral part of achieving a greener future. The manufacturing industry can play an essential role in enabling the national net zero strategy by delivering innovative, technology-backed solutions in line with Operation 300bn and powered by our partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology." "M Glorys addition to our community demonstrates our commitment to boosting the manufacturing industry, as well as supportive environment that empowers local manufacturers like M Glory to set up operations and fuel the Make it in the Emirates initiative," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Shell Oman Marketing Company has appointed Lamees Dawood Al Lawati as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective April 1, 2022, making her the first Omani female to become CFO in the history of the sultanates downstream industry. As CFO, she will become a member of Shell Omans Executive Management Team and will lead key finance functions along with Legal, Contracts and Procurement and IT. On the other hand, the incumbent CFO, Ian Fong, will move to a new role where he will remain available to assist the company with transition while leading key strategic projects. Diverse finance experience Shell Omans CEO, Dr Mohammed Al Balushi, said: I am delighted to welcome Lamees to the leadership of our company. She combines diverse finance experience with a deep knowledge of Shell, and inherent qualities of a visionary leader who demonstrates a progressive outlook. As a prominent Omani leader, we believe that Lamees will continue to inspire and develop the younger generation of leaders in Shell and the society which will contribute to further reinforcing our ~96% Omanisation. Meanwhile, we thank Ian Fong, the incumbent CFO, on his leadership and his contribution to Shell Oman during his tenure. Ian has been instrumental in navigating the company throughout the pandemic and the parallel challenges while remaining focused on developing national talents in Finance functions. We wish both Lamees and Ian all the best in their new roles and all future endeavours. Lawati started her career with Shell more than 15 years ago in finance after graduating from Sultan Qaboos University. Since then, she has held several increasingly senior finance roles at Shell in both downstream and upstream sectors covering Information Management, Treasury, Controllers, Internal Audit and JV Management. Recently, she completed a secondment in Shell plc group as Finance Manager of a Shell Joint Venture in addition to being a senior member of Shell Development Omans Finance Leadership Team. Meanwhile, Lawati continued to be Shell Oman Marketing Companys Board Secretary. Her track record in Shell demonstrates her ethical leadership, her ability to build and execute complex strategies, and her commitment to adhering to and upholding Shell values and standards.-- TradeArabia News Service The West African nation of Guinea is witnessing a huge flock of visitors seeking a glimpse of sculpture Nimba and sit on the Throne of Prosperity for good luck displayed at its pavilion in the Sustainability District at Expo 2020 Dubai. The original statue of Nimba, the symbol of fertility, is stationed along with the Throne of Prosperity at the pavilion entrance. The two sculptures characteristic of Guinean art adorning the entrance greet the visitors even before stepping through the pavilion doors. The Nimba, hailed as a universal mother figure, is one of the sculptures that inspired Pablo Picasso during the 1900 World Expo in France. The lavish headdress, which is unique in African art, is one of the most attractive objects within African legends. The wooden artwork belongs to Guineas Baga ethnic people living in the most western parts of the African continent. Fatoumata Conde, Deputy Commissioner General of Guinea Pavilion Expo 2020 Dubai, said: Guineans and several other West African communities have traditionally believed that Nimba has brought us luck and prosperity through centuries. That is why Nimba is considered our treasured national symbol. The dynamic and imaginative sculptural form of the Nimba, as well as the surreal and expressive symbolism, provide it with an extraordinary attraction. Nimba is a mystery belonging to Guinea legends, and its crest and beak symbolize power. According to Fatoumata Conde, Nimba is assumed to represent abundance, luck and fertility. Guineas rice harvest festivals present Nimba in their dance ceremonies in order to procure the fertility of the fields and luck for the harvesting season. The dancer carried it on his shoulders, holding the piece by its front legs, while his whole body was adorned in a costume made of vegetal fibers. The Nimba has been going around for hundreds of years in West Africa, she remarked. Since the opening of the Expo 2020 Dubai, Guinea held many large and small social and business events in the quest of cementing business relations between the nation and governments as well as private and public sectors of several countries. TradeArabia News Service Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya will feature the popular Jawaher Tent offering seating for up to 600 guests as well as two Majlis areas housing six separate spaces, as well as three sections of elevated VIP seating. The hotels Al Bidaa Ballroom which will be transformed into a beautiful Ramadan dining destination that embodies the holy months most cherished traditions. The Ramadan magic is brought to life with exquisite seasonal decorations and luxurious furnishings, creating a charming ambience that is complemented by authentic Arabian hospitality. Diners can look forward to sharing the joyful custom of breaking the fast with a lavish Iftar meal or gathering for a delightful Ghabga spread as the air fills with traditional folk melodies from local musicians, adding to the spellbinding atmosphere and providing a taste of Kuwaits rich cultural heritage. The holy month is a special time of year when we gather with loved ones to celebrate and share precious moments. There is a tremendous appetite among the people of Kuwait to embrace Ramadans spirit of unity, commented Didier Jardin, General Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya. The entire team is grateful for the opportunity to serve guests on this joyous occasion and proud to bring these treasured traditions to life with elevated levels of luxury and Four Seasons signature intuitive hospitality. We look forward to welcoming diners to our beautiful Jawaher Tent to experience an unforgettable evening together and create memories to last a lifetime. No Iftar celebration is complete without an abundance of delicious food. The Jawaher Tents lavish buffet invites diners to explore a world of culinary delights and offers a feast for the senses with an array of live cooking stations, hot and cold mezze, a salad corner, and a Ramadan juice bar. This year promises an unmissable experience as Four Seasons Executive Chef Thierry Papiller will be sharing his exceptional craftsmanship during his first Ramadan with the Hotel. A passionate culinary artisan with more than 15 years of experience, Chef Papiller was employed by five Michelin-starred restaurants in France before the age of 25 and has lined up an incredible variety of dishes from around the world to suit every taste. Diners will have the opportunity to indulge in local favourites such as jareesh, harees, and lamb machbos, alongside a diverse selection of perfectly prepared Moroccan, Indian, Lebanese, and Egyptian dishes. A huge selection of tempting desserts, Kuwaiti and international sweets, and a free-flowing chocolate fountain invite guests to end their meals on a sweet note, together with waffle, crepe, and fresh fruit carving stations. Meanwhile, the Shisha area offers the ideal spot to relax and unwind in the company of family and friends and enjoy conversations long into the night. Executive Chef Thierry Papiller commented: Im tremendously excited to spend my first Ramadan in Kuwait and would like to extend warm congratulations to the nation and its people on this blessed occasion. Food has always been one of the most wonderful ways to create memories, and I believe we are offering much more than just a delicious menu; our Jawaher Tent is all about bringing people together to share a unique experience with those who are closest to them. It is an honour and a privilege to prepare this special meal that holds a deep significance in the hearts of our guests, and I look forward to contributing to their enjoyment of beautiful Ramadan evenings in our stunning venue throughout the holy month. This year, Al Mulla Group is partnering with Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya for the first time to celebrate Ramadan. Al Mulla Groups Automotive Division is the Platinum and Sole Sponsor for the famous Jawaher Tent. Four of the latest models of the exclusive brands of Mercedes-Benz, Jeep and Acura will be in display for the entire month of Ramadan for Jawaher diners to enjoy exploring. The hotel has also prepared an exciting program of fun and engaging activities for younger guests in the special Kids Corner. The sessions will feature a different theme each day and are led by the highly trained Kids For All Seasons team, giving parents peace of mind to relax and enjoy one of the outstanding dining packages on offer. Iftar will be served daily between sunset and 8:30 pm, while Ghabga is available from 9:30 pm until 2:00 am. Packages start from KD24 ($78.7) per person including full buffet access and hot and cold beverages. Diners who wish to entertain in their own private space can choose from special Majlis or Lounge packages for up to 5 people at a rate of KD150, with additional guests charged at KD30. Children aged 6 11 dine for just KD12 during both Iftar and Ghabga, while kids aged 5 years and under are welcomed free of charge. Discounts are also available for group bookings, and the entire tent can be booked to cater to larger parties or corporate Ghabga events. TradeArabia News Service UW College of Business Hosts 500 High School Students, Educators for State FBLA The University of Wyoming College of Business recently hosted the State Leadership Conference of the Wyoming Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). More than 500 Wyoming high school students, their teachers and professional business volunteers gathered for the recent event, which took place in the UW College of Business Building. In 2018, the UW College of Business developed a partnership with the board of directors of Wyoming FBLA, creating a five-year renewable agreement including financial support and a physical location for the annual State Leadership Conference. We believe in the transformational learning experiences that stem from Wyoming students being a part of the FBLA organization, says Steve Russell, UW College of Business assistant dean. Our continued partnership signifies not only a commitment to Wyoming FBLA, but a commitment to the high school students across Wyoming that we believe in them and their futures as leaders in the great state of Wyoming. The State Leadership Conference is held annually to allow high school students to compete in a number of business-related case and role-play competitions. The winners of each event are invited to represent Wyoming at the National Leadership Conference, held this year in Chicago. Volunteer businesspeople judged the competitions and provided invaluable feedback to students to help them grow. Industry partnerships are at the core of what the UW College of Business focuses on, and those partnerships enhance the judging pool for Wyoming FBLA each year. This was our first in-person conference since the pandemic began and, in many cases, this is one of the first in-person events some of these high school students have been able to take part in throughout their high school experience, says Andrew Borgialli, Wyoming FBLA state chairperson. The College of Business team helped us not only put on a top-notch event for our students and educators, but also allowed it to go off without a hitch. We are so thankful for this partnership and look forward to continuing it for years and years to come. Participating high schools were: -- Big Horn High School. -- Buffalo High School. -- Burns Senior High School. -- Campbell County High School, Gillette. -- Cheyenne Central High School. -- Cheyenne East High School. -- Cheyenne South High School. -- Chugwater High School. -- Cody High School. -- Douglas High School. -- Glenrock High School. -- Greybull High School. -- Guernsey-Sunrise High School. -- Hulett High School. -- Kaycee High School. -- Lander Valley High School. -- Lingle-Fort Laramie High School. -- Newcastle High School. -- Niobrara County High School, Lusk. -- Pine Bluffs High School. -- Rawlins High School. -- Riverside High School, Basin. -- Riverton High School. -- Rock Springs High School. -- Rocky Mountain High School, Cowley. -- Saratoga High School. -- Sheridan High School. -- Thunder Basin High School, Gillette. -- Torrington High School. -- Upton High School. -- Wheatland High School. -- Worland Senior High School. To learn more about Wyoming FBLA, visit www.wyfbla.org. BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to hold the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Turkey's Istanbul city. The Turkish presidency said in a statement that the two leaders discussed the latest situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the negotiation process in a phone conversation on Sunday. They "agreed that the next meeting of the negotiation teams of Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul." During the conversation, Erdogan told Putin that a ceasefire and peace between Russia and Ukraine must be achieved as soon as possible and the humanitarian situation in the region should be improved. He also said Turkey would continue to "contribute in every possible way during this process." Earlier, members of delegations of both Ukraine and Russia also confirmed that the next round of peace talks will take place this week. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country stands ready for an all-for-all prisoner exchange with Russia before the end of hostilities. The presidential press service reported that Zelensky also noted that Ukraine wants to hand over the corpses of Russian soldiers to their relatives. On Thursday, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that Ukraine and Russia conducted the first prisoner swap since the start of the conflict. Ten Ukrainians held by the Russian military were released in exchange for ten Russian soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine also handed over to Russia 11 civilian Russian sailors, who were rescued from a sunken ship near Odesa, in exchange for 19 Ukrainian civilian sailors. Produced by Xinhua Global Service UWs Kempson Honored for Half Century of Commitment to Social Work Profession Diane Kempson Diane Kempson, an associate professor and director of the Master of Social Work (MSW) Program at the University of Wyoming, was honored by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Wyoming chapter during its annual awards ceremony earlier this month. As the recipient of the Greatest Contribution to Social Work Practice award, Kempson was recognized for over 50 years of commitment to the values and work of the social work profession. Kempson was nominated by a number of UW faculty members and former students. Kempson began her career as a practicing social worker in South Carolina, New York and Idaho before entering a full-time academic career at UW in 2004. She has published numerous articles on grief and loss, presented a number of professional papers, and has taken the lead in conducting a variety of effective educational trainings. As a social work educator, she has been responsible for educating and mentoring several generations of social workers for advanced generalist social work practice in rural and frontier settings, says Eleanor Pepi Downey, director of UWs Division of Social Work. Students and faculty hold her in high regard for her tireless commitment to social justice and anti-oppressive practice. Among the comments from students who studied with Kempson were: -- She pushed me and allowed me to grow in ways I could have never imagined. -- Diane really encouraged us to show up with our whole selves and to not shy away from talking about the big, important things in our lives and our lives in general. -- I owe much of my achievement to Diane, thanks to her patience, her commitment and her fierce belief in students. In 2010, Kempson was promoted to associate professor and assumed a leadership role as director of the MSW Program. In this role, Kempson has guided graduate-level students to assume leadership roles in social work in Wyoming and nationally. A number of them went on to complete their doctoral degrees and become social work educators and researchers. Kempson also is credited with developing a curriculum for the MSW Program that is theoretically sound and effectively practical in preparing students for the challenges of social work practice. I truly value Dianes insights and intellect, not only about social work education, but also the challenges of todays practice settings, Downey says. She has challenged me to think more critically and increased my understanding of the meaning of social work practice from a just practice and anti-oppressive perspective. The Wyoming chapters primary focus is to provide support to its members serving in rural communities throughout the state. Services include professional development, legislative advocacy, member support and resources, and providing opportunities for professional networking. To learn more about UWs Division of Social Work, visit www.uwyo.edu/socialwork. UW in the News State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent coverage: Nycole Courtney, UW associate vice president and dean of student success and graduation, was quoted in a Casper Star-Tribune article about the drop in enrollment among certain student demographics. She said financial and work burdens were among significant barriers to retention during the pandemic. Associated Students of UW President Hunter Swilling also gave comments. S&P Global Market Intelligence spoke with UW economist Rob Godby on how some U.S. coal miners are experimenting with greener business projects as long-term demand for the carbon-intensive fuel collapses. Gabrielle Allen, UWs new School of Computing director, explained to Wyoming Public Radio how the school will bring a new focus to the practical applications for computing and its multidisciplinary collaborations across campus. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) reported that the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission recently gave preliminary approval of $2.5 million to support a state-of-the-art mule deer monitoring program. The innovative project is a collaboration between the WGFD and UW. Sherrill Smith, the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing dean, discussed how UW could help with the nursing shortage in Wyoming. Smith says increasing collaborations with Wyomings community colleges and health partners is among factors in solving the shortage, according to a Laramie Boomerang article that appeared in The Jackson Hole News & Guide. High Country News cited the Wyoming Migration Initiative, based at UW, and its efforts in researching mule deer migration habits. UW researchers on the migration study collared one such deer that was featured in the article titled How one Wyoming mule deer won friends and influenced science. UW College of Law Professor Michael Duff was quoted by Law360 for an article that focused on how U.S. courts and prosecutors do not always agree on National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) injunctions. Duff is a former NLRB attorney. Early Learning Nation published an article that focused on the unstable child care workforce. Nikki Baldwin, a senior lecturer in the UW School of Teacher Education, was interviewed for the article. UW Assistant Professor Tim Zhang discussed with The Ascent how the weather, including climate change, can affect homeowners insurance. Wyoming News Now published UWs release announcing that the Y Cross Ranch Endowment is providing support to the universitys Y Cross Scholars while also helping to ensure the future of agriculture and ranching in Wyoming and beyond. UWs Central Asian Student Association will celebrate Central Asian Awareness Day and Navruz Saturday, April 2, in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. Wyoming News Now published UWs announcement. KGAB Radio posted UWs release announcing that 168 students from six junior high and high schools across the Cowboy State participated in the universitys annual World Languages Day competition. Laramie and Lander students were highlighted, respectively, by The Laramie Boomerang and WyoToday Media for their winning projects from the recent Wyoming State Science Fair, hosted virtually by UW. Hits 106 and Wyoming News Now published UWs media release that included a link to a complete list of all category winners. A dog walks amid the destruction caused after a Russian attack in Byshiv, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sunday. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The WCO successfully organized a national strategic orientation workshop for the senior management of the Libyan Customs Authority. Thirteen (13) senior executives and the Director General participated in the workshop, held from March 7th to 11th, 2022, in Tunis, Tunisia and funded with generous support from the Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF) of Korea. The objective of this activity was to support Libyan Customs in its efforts to improve strategic planning and implementation of sustainable customs reforms. Relevant topics such as strategy implementation and project management, legislation, data analysis, governance and human resource management were presented and discussed in detail. BACUDA experts were joined by speakers from the Korea Customs Service who contributed with presentations on the state-of-the-art practices in customs. Participants were familiarized with the methodologies, frameworks and benefits of strategic planning and performance measurement during the proceedings. As a result, the event provided Libyan customs leadership with a stable foundation for realizing the potential of Customs through the implementation of sustainable innovations in line with international standards and best practices. For more information, please, contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org. Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari (1st R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 27, 2022. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) KATHMANDU, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Nepal and China pledged here Sunday to deepen their friendship and continue to firmly support each other in safeguarding their core interests. While meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari said Nepal and China have enjoyed profound friendship and they are good neighbors and good friends. Nepal is pleased to see that China has made great achievements in its development and Nepal has benefited a lot from China's development, the Nepali president said. Nepal will, as always, stay committed to developing friendly relations with China and sticking to the one-China policy, Bhandari said. Expressing gratitude for China's selfless assistance in Nepal's socioeconomic development, especially in the post-quake reconstruction and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhandari said Nepal is ready to work together with China to push forward the joint building of the Belt and Road. For his part, Wang said China and Nepal are good friends and good partners, with friendship dating back over a thousand years. Both sides have been supporting and helping each other, becoming a model for equal treatment, mutual respect and win-win cooperation between countries of different sizes. The Chinese side cherishes the traditional friendship between China and Nepal, and will continue to support Nepal in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and national dignity, exploring a development path suited to its own interests, and pursuing independent domestic and foreign policies, Wang said. China stands ready to work with the Nepali side to deepen bilateral friendship, and continue to firmly support each other in safeguarding their core interests, Wang said. Bhandari said her country never approves the slanders by certain international forces against both China and the Communist Party of China, and it wishes and firmly believes that China's path and the China model will achieve greater success. Wang said the Chinese side is happy to see that friendship with China has become a social consensus going beyond parties and different party factions in Nepal. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen exchanges with Nepal's political parties and different party factions on state governance experience, and join hands to push forward the cause of promoting democracy and human rights for mankind, Wang said. AMMAN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh on Sunday issued measures to ease COVID-19 restrictions, the state-run Petra news agency reported. The new measures permit indoor and outdoor gatherings in all forms, while face masks are no longer required in open places, it said. Prayers are no longer restrained by physical distancing in mosques and places of worship, while worshippers are still obliged to wear face masks, it added. Jordan's Health Ministry recorded Sunday 3,171 new COVID-19 cases, increasing the caseload to 1,692,485 in the country. It reported 28 deaths, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 14,031, according to a statement by the ministry. There are currently 2,175 active COVID-19 cases in Jordan, it added. The total number of people who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine had reached 4,730,727, while 4,438,091 got their second shot and 627,814 received the booster jab, according to the ministry. Staff members help a patient to register at a designated quarantine facility in east China's Shanghai, March 26, 2022. Local authorities have renovated seven venues, including hospitals and stadiums, to quarantine mild cases and asymptomatic carriers. (Photo by Ye Jiaqi/Xinhua) BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 1,219 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission's Monday report showed. Of the new local infections, 1,086 were reported in Jilin, 50 in Shanghai, 12 in Liaoning, and 10 in Heilongjiang. The rest of the cases were reported in 14 provincial-level regions, according to the commission. A total of 56 imported COVID-19 cases were reported Sunday, said the commission. It added that six suspected cases, all arriving from outside the mainland, were reported in Shanghai as well. Thubten Gyaltsen (R) talks with his family in Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on May 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo) LHASA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- On a moonless night, two scrawny, exhausted boys frantically escaped their fates of becoming Nangsans, or house slaves, by slipping out of Shannan, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, and journeying to the present-day regional capital Lhasa. The orphaned boys, 13-year-old Thubten Gyaltsen and his younger brother, staggered on blistered feet and begged for three days to reach Lhasa. "What I thought then was to live on," said the now 82-year-old man. Although the escape took place 69 years ago, the night is still burned into Thubten Gyaltsen's memory. Years after their escape, democratic reform led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) was launched and feudal serfdom was finally abolished in Tibet. A million serfs and slaves including Thubten Gyaltsen were emancipated and started to embrace a new life. Thubten Gyaltsen and his family now live in a two-story house with 13 rooms and a garage in the city of Xigaze. Five in his family of six enjoy wages or pension, and three have college degrees. Ahead of Serfs' Emancipation Day, which falls on Monday, Thubten Gyaltsen looked back on the extraordinary history he has witnessed in Tibet. HELL ON EARTH Thubten Gyaltsen hailed from the present-day Nedong District, Shannan City, which was once a manor owned by a feudal lord. Serfs here could barely fill their stomachs, wore tattered clothes and engaged in a life-and-death struggle. "My parents were serfs. My mother died when I was 9, and my father passed away when I was 12," he recalled. "As orphans, we could not afford to pay the head tax, and were forced to be Nangsans in the manor." In old Tibet, governmental officials, aristocrats and senior lamas, who represented merely 5 percent of the population, had a monopoly on almost all cultivated land, pastures, mountains, rivers and most livestock. The other 95 percent, comprised of serfs and slaves, had no personal possessions nor personal freedom, let alone human rights. Nangsans were the most miserable of serfs and could be sold by their owners as cattle. Thubten Gyaltsen's uncle was a Nangsan. He delivered a message to his nephew: "If you become a Nangsan, your life will be hell on earth. Try to escape." Thubten Gyaltsen and his younger brother fled for their lives in April of that year. Life in Lhasa was not much better. They slept on the streets and had no one to depend on. To survive, Thubten Gyaltsen became a servant for a wealthy family. "I was 13 years old then. The steward made me work as an adult. I did not have enough to eat, and slept beside an earthen stove at night," he said. Two years later, he decided to return to Shannan to look for his uncle. "I heard that my uncle was not a Nangsan anymore, and he worked for the CPC. I was looking forward to finding him." SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE Once Thubten Gyaltsen finally joined his uncle, a CPC official told him: "You have suffered a lot. If you want to lead a happy life, you must learn to read and be literate." He was then sent to a cadre academy in Lhasa to study. "I was full of excitement. I did not feel like a human being during serfdom. The CPC gave me a second life," he said. The second time he visited Lhasa, he wore new clothes, a pair of leather shoes and rode in on the back of a horse. On March 28, 1959, the central government led the people in Tibet to launch the democratic reform, abolishing Tibet's feudal serfdom under a theocracy. Thubten Gyaltsen returned to Lhasa from a school in Xianyang City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province and participated in the campaign. The democratic reform gave new life to Tibet. Serfs and slaves were given land, domestic animals and houses of their own. They have become the masters of the nation, Tibet and their own fates, and turned themselves into grassroots cadres, students, teachers and doctors. Thubten Gyaltsen became a local cadre in Xigaze and joined the CPC in 1980. He spent most of his time serving people at the grassroots level. Today, hunger and poverty are a thing of the past for people of all ethnic groups in Tibet. By the end of 2019, all registered poor residents in Tibet had shaken off poverty, marking the elimination of absolute poverty in the region for the first time in history. "Our lives couldn't be happier, and we are experiencing a totally different world compared with the old days," Thubten Gyaltsen said. "I have no regrets following in the steps of the CPC, and luckily, my choice was correct." CANBERRA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has committed to a major boost in infrastructure spending if re-elected in May. Morrison on Monday announced that his Coalition will spend an extra 17.9 billion Australian dollars (13.4 billion U.S. dollars) on road and rail projects over the next 10 years if it wins at the May general election. The package includes an additional 3.1 billion Australian dollars (2.3 billion dollars) for the Melbourne Intermodal Terminal for new freight terminals to service inland rail routes, 2.2 billion Australian dollars (1.6 billion dollars) for South Australia's north-south motorway corridor and 2.8 billion Australian dollars (2.1 billion dollars) for rail extension and upgrade in the state of Queensland. Morrison said in a statement that the funding would keep Australians moving and create thousands of new jobs. The funding will be included in the federal budget for financial year 2022/23, which will be handed down by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday. Several key budget spending measures have already been revealed by the government including health spending, tax relief for small and medium-sized businesses and a boost for defense spending. "With the unemployment rate already at an equal 48 year low, the measures in this budget will create an additional 40,000 jobs across Australia, building on our world-leading economic recovery," Frydenberg said on Monday. "By enhancing transport connectivity, we're strengthening our supply chains against challenges such as COVID-related disruptions and the impact of natural disasters," he said. The Opposition Labor Party is expected to deliver its budget reply later ahead of the election. ADDIS ABABA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese hi-tech giant, Huawei announced on Monday it has started providing Fourth Generation (4G) home wireless broadband internet service for Ethiopia's Ethio-Telecom. "The 4G home wireless broadband internet service uses the existing 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network as an option of fixed broadband internet service so as to provide users alternative high-speed capacity broadband connection at their preferred areas where wired broadband internet services are inaccessible," a Huawei statement said. Ethio-Telecom has already started sales of the new high-tech solution in some sales centers, with further plans to widely commence the service in areas where 4G LTE services have already been deployed. Huawei has previously supported Ethio-Telecom to expand 4G telecom services to major Ethiopian cities such as Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Gonder Jigjiga and Semera. The Chinese-tech giant also provided a mobile money solution for Ethio-Telecom's Tele Birr, which is expected to revolutionize the digital money payment system in the East African country. Ethiopia is undertaking extensive telecom modernization services with the help of Chinese firms as part of the country's aim of realizing digital inclusion and boosting the size of its digital economy, with the provision of reliable, high band-width and high-speed telecom services. Whether it's the Palestinian issue or other international, regional hotspot issues, the international community should not adopt double standards, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Jin Xiaoyu's translation works are pictured at his home in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Mengyu) HANGZHOU, March 28 (Xinhua) -- In the face of critical health challenges such as visual impairment and bipolar disorder, Jin Xiaoyu has remained unfazed, translating 22 foreign-language works into more than 6 million Chinese characters over a decade. The 50-year-old translator lives with his father Jin Xingyong who is 86 years old. Jin's heart-wrenching yet inspiring story, which was recently published online by Hangzhou Daily, has touched the hearts of millions of Chinese. "I felt very lonely and hoped that someone would hear our story," the father said reacting to the news article that gained widespread attention, adding that he lost his wife recently. The article captured Jin's emotional tale in great detail, describing how his parents created a safety net to assure his proper upbringing. CONQUERING ADVERSITIES The family has lived in a 60-square-meter apartment since 1988 in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. Jin's bedroom is narrow, with books and dictionaries scattered on the shelves. The average-looking man, with black-rimmed glasses and a sparse beard, spends most of his time on the computer, hammering the keyboard incessantly. Jin's right eye crystal sustained damage in an accident when he was six. He later dropped out of high school and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental illness characterized by extreme mood swings. His mental health deteriorated to the point where he attempted suicide for many times. Almost every year since 1992, Jin has had to go to the hospital for treatment. Losing an eye severely dented his confidence as a child, and he became reserved, confining himself to reading books at home. He even refrained from taking the national college entrance examinations. With the advent of adult life, Jin took up work at a factory and used to work part-time at bookstores. He avoided speaking with people and would bury himself in books to learn foreign languages on his own. In 2017, Jin's mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and after a prolonged illness she passed away recently. TRANSLATION AS A PROFESSION Bipolar disorder can trigger bouts of extreme anger in Jin to the extent that he would go around smashing things in the house. Surprisingly, even during such frantic moments, he won't harm his computer -- for he understands its significance. Early this year, when Jin was undergoing treatment in the mental hospital his father gave him a Chinese-version sample copy of the book "The Correspondence of Walter Benjamin." He spent two years translating the German book, writing with 530,000 Chinese characters. Jin taught himself German and Japanese and he believes that the experience of learning languages is the same. He read German language textbooks first, then professional books related to translation, and finally, original novels. "I read at least 20 original novels to learn a foreign language," Jin said. One of his most frequently visited places is the library of Zhejiang University. He has read almost all the textbooks on German and Japanese learning available in the library. Jin takes translation seriously. During the translation work of "Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema," he watched every film of the director at least twice and would compare repeatedly the details of the film mentioned in the book. He can work some eight hours a day, swinging into action straight away after breakfast. To maintain good physical strength, he walks for an hour every day as his daily exercise. Complimenting Jin's work one of his readers said, these words are "accurate and delicate, even better than the original text." Jin's father is always the first reader of his manuscripts. And he has only discovered one error to date. The 22 books that Jin translated cover different genres including novels, movies, music and philosophy, among others. The translation fee is not high -- usually 50 or 60 yuan (about 8 or 9.5 U.S. dollars) for 1,000 words. "If I was not sick, I might waste my time. I will do translation job well, so don't feel sorry for me," Jin told his father, assuring him that he enjoys his work. MOTHER -- THE "WHEELBARROW" OF LIFE "My mother played a big role in my translation career," said Jin, adding that it was she who first found him a translation opportunity on a trial basis. Jin's elder brother graduated from Shanghai's Fudan University and currently lives in Australia. So, naturally, Jin became the reason for concern of his parents owing to his health condition. Jin said his mother was strict with him and, like most Chinese parents, always kept a close eye on his studies. Jin's translated books are stacked on a sewing machine that belonged to his mother in the living room. Reminiscing about the bygone days, Jin deems the clothes made by his mother as the coziest and likens her stepping on the sewing machine pedal to a lullaby. Neither the sewing machine nor the clothes were touched by Jin when he was "out of control." During the three years of his mother's battle with Alzheimer's disease, Jin never lost his temper with her. He would bring her food, wash her face and help his bedridden mom use the toilet. "Keep pushing a wheelbarrow as long as it does not turn over," Jin always bears this Chinese adage in his mind and deems his mom the wheelbarrow in his life. FATHER -- THE GUIDING FORCE Jin's father gave the editor his own suggestions on the sample of "The Correspondence of Walter Benjamin" -- in terms of wording, binding design and the size of the format. "My father is a very patient man and has played a significant role in my life. He helped me contact the editor of the publishing house and proofread my manuscripts very carefully," Jin said. His father, a former pharmaceutical researcher, is also a bibliophile who loves the works of the legendary Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev. The news article has suddenly brought the father and son under huge public attention. A motorcade volunteered to provide free rides for the elderly, but the father declined the offer, expressing his gratitude and saying that he was used to taking the bus. "I have enough to eat and drink, and I'm satisfied. I'm not in a difficult state so I won't ask others for help. I feel comfortable this way," he said. Jin values his bond with his dad. He hopes to complete the translation of Walter Benjamin's "The Arcades Project" before his father reaches 88. Following that, he intends to take a break from work and devote himself to learning Spanish. "I'm not a genius, and I have to work hard," Jin said, while his father chimes in to say "Love is the most precious thing." Jin Xingyong receives phone calls from people who want to help his family at home in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Mengyu) Jin Xingyong (C) expresses his gratitude to the motorcade volunteered to provide free rides for him in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Mengyu) Jin Xiaoyu sits in front of his computer at home in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Mengyu) NANNING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- All 132 victims of the China Eastern Airlines plane crash have been identified through DNA testing, an official told a press briefing Monday. The China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft, which departed from Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province and was bound for Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, crashed into a mountainous area in Tengxian County, Guangxi at around 2:38 p.m. on March 21. Produced by Xinhua Global Service People gathered to celebrate Hua Zhao Jie, or the traditional Flower Festival in Xuling Village, Jiande County in Hangzhou, East Chinas Zhejiang Province on March 27, 2022. Residents and visitors enjoy the rape flowers and experience Xuling ancient road and festival market. Xuling Village is a typical traditional village in Zhejiang, with terraced fields covered in rape flowers. By showing the traditional farming culture, the Flower Festival aims to integrate agriculture and tourism. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) People gathered to celebrate Hua Zhao Jie, or the traditional Flower Festival in Xuling Village, Jiande County in Hangzhou, East Chinas Zhejiang Province on March 27, 2022. Residents and visitors enjoy the rape flowers and experience Xuling ancient road and festival market. Xuling Village is a typical traditional village in Zhejiang, with terraced fields covered in rape flowers. By showing the traditional farming culture, the Flower Festival aims to integrate agriculture and tourism. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) People gathered to celebrate Hua Zhao Jie, or the traditional Flower Festival in Xuling Village, Jiande County in Hangzhou, East Chinas Zhejiang Province on March 27, 2022. Residents and visitors enjoy the rape flowers and experience Xuling ancient road and festival market. Xuling Village is a typical traditional village in Zhejiang, with terraced fields covered in rape flowers. By showing the traditional farming culture, the Flower Festival aims to integrate agriculture and tourism. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) People gathered to celebrate Hua Zhao Jie, or the traditional Flower Festival in Xuling Village, Jiande County in Hangzhou, East Chinas Zhejiang Province on March 27, 2022. Residents and visitors enjoy the rape flowers and experience Xuling ancient road and festival market. Xuling Village is a typical traditional village in Zhejiang, with terraced fields covered in rape flowers. By showing the traditional farming culture, the Flower Festival aims to integrate agriculture and tourism. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) People gathered to celebrate Hua Zhao Jie, or the traditional Flower Festival in Xuling Village, Jiande County in Hangzhou, East Chinas Zhejiang Province on March 27, 2022. Residents and visitors enjoy the rape flowers and experience Xuling ancient road and festival market. Xuling Village is a typical traditional village in Zhejiang, with terraced fields covered in rape flowers. By showing the traditional farming culture, the Flower Festival aims to integrate agriculture and tourism. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) KIEV, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine has asked the United Nations (UN) to take actions on demilitarizing the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP), the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported on Monday. "We demand that the UN Security Council take immediate measures to demilitarize the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl NPP and establish a special UN mission to eliminate the risk of recurrence of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster," Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk was quoted by the news agency as saying. Currently, there is a risk of damaging the confinement structures built over the Chernobyl destroyed nuclear power unit No. 4 due to the hostilities and a large amount of ammunition in the area, Vereshchuk added. On Sunday, Ukrainian Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova said that forest fires, which broke out around the Chernobyl NPP due to hostilities, cover more than 10,000 hectares. Ukrainian firefighters are unable to reach the area, which is controlled by Russian forces, Denisova added. The Chernobyl nuclear plant, some 110 km north of Kiev, suffered one of the worst nuclear accidents in human history on April 26, 1986. On Feb. 24, Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to the head of the President's Office of Ukraine, said Russian forces had seized the plant. RIYADH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia signed Sunday more than 30 agreements and initiatives valued over 4.2 billion U.S. dollars on the first day of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The GEC 2022, entitled "Reboot, Rethink, Regenerate," attracts entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers from around the world to meet in person for the first time in over two years. Saudi Aramco signed ten memoranda of cooperation and two agreements with local and international companies in digital transformation, information technology, and national development, it reported. JERUSALEM, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Goods exports from the Arab sector to Israel reached record 138 million U.S. dollars in 2021, said a statement issued by the Israel Export Institute (IEI) on Monday. This is a sharp increase of 36.6 percent compared to 101 million dollars in 2020, and of 76.9 percent compared to 78 million dollars in 2010, said the statement. However, the proportion of goods exports from the Arab sector in Israel's total goods exports is merely 0.23 percent. The Arab population in Israel numbers about two million, which is 21.1 percent of the total population. Shauli Katznelson, deputy director-general at the IEI, told Xinhua that promoting exports as part of the economic development of the Arab sector is a key condition for the integration of the Arab population into the general Israeli society. A flag-raising ceremony is held to celebrate the Serfs' Emancipation Day at the square in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Chogo) Students pose for a group photo after a flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the Serfs' Emancipation Day at the square in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) A flag-raising ceremony is held to celebrate the Serfs' Emancipation Day at the square in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) A flag-raising ceremony is held to celebrate the Serfs' Emancipation Day at the square in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) People attend an event to celebrate Serfs' Emancipation Day in Nagqu of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China on Monday celebrated Serfs' Emancipation Day. This public holiday marks the date in 1959 when people in Tibet launched a democratic reform that ended the region's feudal serfdom and freed a million serfs, or more than 90 percent of its population at the time. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) People attend an event to celebrate Serfs' Emancipation Day in Nagqu of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China on Monday celebrated Serfs' Emancipation Day. This public holiday marks the date in 1959 when people in Tibet launched a democratic reform that ended the region's feudal serfdom and freed a million serfs, or more than 90 percent of its population at the time. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) People attend an event to celebrate Serfs' Emancipation Day in Nagqu of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China on Monday celebrated Serfs' Emancipation Day. This public holiday marks the date in 1959 when people in Tibet launched a democratic reform that ended the region's feudal serfdom and freed a million serfs, or more than 90 percent of its population at the time. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) People dance during an event to celebrate Serfs' Emancipation Day in Nagqu of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China on Monday celebrated Serfs' Emancipation Day. This public holiday marks the date in 1959 when people in Tibet launched a democratic reform that ended the region's feudal serfdom and freed a million serfs, or more than 90 percent of its population at the time. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao) by Xinhua writers Wang Zhuolun, Shang Hao and Li Binian JERUSALEM, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Israelis and Palestinians may disagree on bags of issues, but not to a degree seen over the past weekend when they answered the plain question: "What time is it?" This year, Daylight Saving Time (DST) came into effect in Israel at 2 a.m. local time on Friday with clocks set 60 minutes forward to 3 a.m., equivalent to an hour less of sleep for the night. The daylight mode would end on Oct. 30 and clocks would be set back by an hour. However, in Palestine, the time change did not kick in until midnight Sunday, almost two days later than in Israel. It is probably the only place where two time zones are precisely set, not for a geographical reason but rather by the sticky political status quo, and the inconvenience it brought can be felt so directly among the locals who, in fact, live in close proximity. While most Israelis shared the same clock on both sides of the Green Line, the border separating pre-1967 Israel from the occupied Palestinian territories, the Palestinian people are divided by the dimension of time. Palestinians in Israel and East Jerusalem followed the Israeli time, while those in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip changed to DST nearly two days later. The experience is particularly jarring for more than 120,000 Palestinians who work in Israel and the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, according to official statistics, since on the one hand, they observe Palestine Standard Time, on the other hand, the workplace commonly runs under Israeli time. "Life has become very complicated. Some of them move between time zones several times a day," said Israeli news commentator Yuval Ben-Ami. Take bus schedule for example, on Friday and Saturday, buses in East Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank operated under Israeli time, while mobile phones of most passengers still showed Palestinian time. "You need to be aware of the time you show up in the workplace" during the clock-change period, said a Jerusalem resident Mark Salomon, out of worries that failing to keep track of time during commute may result in arriving late. Telling the time in Jerusalem is even more confusing, given that some of its neighborhoods use Palestinian time. Not to mention that the time settings of mobile phones and apps are likely to vary between the west and east of the city. When a person crossed a street, her mobile phone clock can change in a tick. "Although I live in Palestine and use Palestinian SIM cards, my phone automatically synchronizes with Israeli time," said Omar Abdeen, who resides in the West Bank city of Bethlehem near Jerusalem. "I was so befuddled that I had to change the time zone setting from automatic to manual," he added. On this one count, some Israelis suffered as much as the Palestinians from the man-made time difference. An Israeli man said going astray in time change once cost him a rage from his wife. "I was playing poker with friends, and I promised my wife I'd be home by two at night," said the resident from Israel's Beit Shemesh. "I looked at the clock, saw it was 1:15, and thought I had 45 minutes. Then the other players told me it was in fact 2:15. I rushed home and my wife was waiting for me awake. She was not happy." In most years, the date of Israel and Palestine to enter or exit DST varied by only a few days, but in some years the "time difference" was wider. In 2013, Palestine switched off DST in late September, while it was not until late October that Israel leveled the time, ending an entire month of "time difference" troubling those who had to work across the borders and live in the border area between Israel and Palestine. "It's stupid. I don't understand why we live together but at different time zones," complained Wassam, a resident of the West Bank city of Ramallah. GENEVA, March 28 (Xinhua) --"Some dogs and cats get better care than folks who are incarcerated (in the U.S.)," said Romarilyn Ralston, a California-based former convict-turned civil rights advocate, who knows well about prisons in the U.S. Produced by Xinhua Global Service TEHRAN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Providing guarantees ensuring unwavering commitment by all parties to the nuclear deal and lifting U.S. sanctions are among the important issues that must be resolved before reaching any agreement in the Vienna talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, a senior Iranian official was quoted by official news agency IRNA as saying on Monday. Kamal Kharazi, chairman of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, made the remarks at a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Monday on the sidelines of the Doha Forum international conference in the Qatari capital. Kharazi, also a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, noted that another unresolved important issue is removing the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) from the U.S. foreign terrorist organization list. The settlement of these issues depends on the U.S. will, he added. Turning to the developments of the region, Kharazi stressed that eliminating foreign interference and holding intra-Lebanese dialogues are the solutions to the Arab state's problems. For his part, the Lebanese prime minister expressed hope that the unilateral sanctions on Iran would be lifted, saying once it takes place, the Islamic republic will be able to play a very significant role in the region's economy. Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with the world powers in July 2015. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed Washington's unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the Islamic republic to reduce some of its nuclear commitments under the agreement in retaliation. Since April 2021, several rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany, to revive the deal. Over the past days, reports from Vienna suggested that the negotiators were "close" to an agreement with few key issues remaining which required "political decisions" of the parties. A deliveryman carries daily necessities for residents in Pudong District, east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Xinhua/Wu Zhendong) A medical worker takes a swab sample from a resident for nucleic acid test at a COVID-19 testing site in Pudong District, east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Xinhua) A medical worker takes a swab sample from a resident for nucleic acid test at a COVID-19 testing site in Fengxian District, east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Photo by Wang Yanting/Xinhua) Volunteers carry daily necessities for residents in Fengxian District, east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Photo by Wang Yanting/Xinhua) A vehicle carrying daily necessities ordered by residents is seen in Pudong District, east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Xinhua/Wu Zhendong) A staff member registers information for a resident at a COVID-19 testing site in Fengxian District, east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Photo by Wang Yanting/Xinhua) People line up for COVID-19 test at a testing site in Fengxian District, east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Photo by Wang Yanting/Xinhua) A closed entrance to a ferry is seen in east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) People line up for COVID-19 test at a testing site in Pudong District, east China's Shanghai, March 28, 2022. China's economic hub Shanghai launched a new round of nucleic acid testing across the city starting from 5 a.m. on Monday, local authorities said Sunday night. (Xinhua) Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (R) and visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attend a joint press conference in Jerusalem, March 27, 2022. Blinken is scheduled to attend a conference in southern Israel with his counterparts from Bahrain, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. (Olivier Fitoussi/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken said on Sunday that his country has an "ironclad commitment" to Israel. The remark was made at a joint press conference after his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Jerusalem. "Deal or no deal, we will continue to work together and with other partners to counter Iran's destabilizing behavior in the region," said Blinken, whose regional tour also focuses on calming the U.S. allies in the Middle East over the emerging renewed nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). For his part, Bennett said that Israel is "concerned" about the U.S. intention to remove Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) from the U.S. list of "foreign terrorist organizations," adding he hopes the United States will listen to "concerned voices" from the region on the issue, according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office. The two officials also discussed Israeli efforts to mediate on the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the "warming in relations between Israel and the countries of the region, particularly the strengthening of the Abraham Accords." Blinken will later participate in a historic meeting with Arab foreign ministers from Bahrain, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt in the Negev Desert in southern Israel. Rescuers search the site of a recent plane crash in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. Search work at the site of the recent plane crash in south China is continuing after the second black box was found on Sunday, an official said at a press briefing on Monday afternoon. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) NANNING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Search work at the site of the recent plane crash in south China is continuing after the second black box was found on Sunday, an official said at a press briefing on Monday afternoon. As of Monday noon, a total of 15,640 people had been sent to search the core site and surrounding areas of the plane crash, covering around 370,000 square meters, said Zhu Tao, head of the aviation safety office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. A total of 36,001 pieces of plane wreckage and parts have been recovered, he added. At the exterior of the core site, five drone search groups have also been added to aid the search, covering an area of around 9.55 million square meters. The Boeing 737 aircraft, which departed from Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, and was bound for Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, crashed into a mountainous area in Tengxian County, Guangxi, at around 2:38 p.m. on March 21. All 132 people on board the plane were killed. Rescuers search the site of a recent plane crash in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 28, 2022. Search work at the site of the recent plane crash in south China is continuing after the second black box was found on Sunday, an official said at a press briefing on Monday afternoon. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) UNITED NATIONS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians on Monday voiced grave concern about the deteriorating security situation in Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). An escalation in violence in the eastern province has led to the killing of an estimated 400 civilians and the displacement of over 83,000 people since the beginning of the year, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In the second week of March alone, an estimated 80 civilians were killed in Ituri. Humanitarians have also observed an increase in attacks on internally displaced people (IDP) sites and in areas where displaced people are seeking shelter. More than 488,000 people have been affected by the destruction of health centers and schools in Ituri in 2021. The violence has affected the ability of aid organizations to deliver assistance, forcing them to delay, suspend or relocate operations, said OCHA. The humanitarian community stresses that all parties have the obligation to protect civilians and civilian objects, including IDP sites. Attacks directed against civilians, including IDPs, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law, it said. Some 1.9 million people are displaced within Ituri province, one-third of all people displaced in the DRC. Some 3 million people, more than half of Ituri's population, are severely food insecure, it said. Despite challenges, including limited access, UN agencies and humanitarian partners last year provided food, shelter, medicines, water and other relief to around 1.26 million people in Ituri. Urgent funding is needed to allow the United Nations and partners to provide a rapid and comprehensive humanitarian response in Ituri, said OCHA. AMMAN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Monday condemned Israeli settlers for storming into a hotel owned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in East Jerusalem. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Haitham Abu Al-Foul reaffirmed Jordan's rejection of all moves aimed to change the historical and legal status quo in East Jerusalem, including the Muslim and Christian properties and endowments, highlighting the country's support for Jerusalemites and the Orthodox Church against settlers' attacks. Holding the Israeli government responsible for the settlers' continued attacks, the spokesman demanded they immediately evacuate from the hotel. Jordan would keep adopting all possible steps to enhance the steadfastness of the Palestinians, protect holy sites and preserve the historical status of Jerusalem, on the basis of the Jordanian royal family's custodianship of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, Al-Foul noted. TUNIS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied met with visiting Minister of the Interior and Safety of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Jeon Hae-cheol on Monday, the Tunisian presidency said in a statement. During the meeting, Saied said Tunisia is committed to further strengthening friendly ties and cooperation with ROK, particularly in the economic, social, digital and security fields. He also hailed "the Korean experience in governance and democratic transition through investment in new technologies" and its "initiative to launch a platform to listen to citizens and their suggestions on the development of political strategies and government action plans," the statement said. For his part, Jeon reaffirmed ROK's willingness to reinforce the already "excellent" bilateral cooperation, noting the mutual support and solidarity shown in the Tunisian people's "successful" fighting against COVID-19. ULAN BATOR, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's health ministry on Monday confirmed 69 new local COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the national tally to 469,110. Meanwhile, no new related deaths were reported in the past day, leaving the death toll unchanged at 2,108. Currently, there are 1,544 active COVID-19 cases across the country. Almost 67 percent of Mongolia's population of 3.4 million has received two COVID-19 vaccine doses, 1,031,637 people have received a third dose and 113,896 have received a voluntary fourth shot. With a high vaccination coverage and declining daily infections, Mongolia has essentially returned to normal life. It has resumed in-person classes for all educational institutions and fully opened its borders to foreign tourists. VIENTIANE, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Lao Ministry of Health plans to offer fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccines to healthcare workers and people at risk of serious illness starting in April to shield vulnerable groups from the Omicron variant. Booster shots will be used to ramp up levels of antibodies to the virus, which will reduce the risk of severe illness, the local daily Vientiane Times reported on Monday. The fourth doses will be offered to frontline workers, people with immunodeficiency or chronic disease, and people over the age of 60, according to the report. Additional vaccinations will also be rolled out in provinces that are heavily reliant on tourism or where infection rates are high. The Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines will be offered to people who received their third dose at least three months ago. Second in line for a fourth vaccination will be police, officials working at border crossings, diplomats, and incoming workers. The next group to get booster shots will be people working in crowded places such as banks, tourism-related businesses and factories, followed by the general public. People who have already contracted COVID-19 can get a first, second or third vaccination two months after recovery. A fourth dose will be given to people who had a first booster shot more than three months ago. The health authorities are concerned that the Omicron may spread throughout the country, especially among the unvaccinated 12 to 17-year-olds. According to the Center of Information and Education for Health, 75.72 percent of the eligible population have had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 60.4 percent have had a second dose, and 16 percent have had three doses. People walk near the building of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow March 28, 2022. North Macedonia has declared five Russian diplomats as personae non grata, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi) SKOPJE, March 28 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia has declared five Russian diplomats as personae non grata, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. In a press release, the ministry said it summoned on Monday Russian Ambassador to North Macedonia Sergey Bazdnikin and informed him of the decision. "According to the information received from the relevant authorities, the five Russian diplomats in question were engaged in activities contrary to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," read the press release. The five Russian diplomats have to leave North Macedonia in the next five days. SOFIA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency reported on Monday an outbreak of the highly pathogenic bird flu at a farm some 170 km southeast of the capital Sofia. The agency said that all measures have been taken to tackle the outbreak. The authorities have been forced to slaughter the flock at the farm with 177,440 laying hens near the town of Asenovgrad. Since 2019, this has been the third bird flu outbreak reported at a farm belonging to the same owner, the agency said. MEXICO CITY, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Nineteen people were shot to death in central Mexico, the State Attorney General's Office (FGE) said in a statement on Monday. At around 10:30 p.m. local time on Sunday (0430 GMT Monday), the Prosecutor's Office was informed of the attack on a festive gathering in the town of Las Tinajas, Michoacan state, said the statement. Personnel from the Crime Scene and Expert Services Unit went to the scene immediately, and "19 lifeless bodies were found (16 men and three women), who had gunshot wounds," said the FGE. Several others who were injured in the attack had been taken to the hospital, it confirmed. The reason for the shooting is under investigation, according to the statement. DHAKA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Monday slammed the U.S. sanctions on officials of Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) over alleged rights abuse, saying the move was "very condemnable act". She said the elite force has immensely contributed to the country's efforts in containing militancy and terrorism. Hasina said Bangladesh takes legal action against any law enforcement agency members including those from RAB if they are found involved in any criminal act. Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said earlier that the allegations of gross rights violations by the anti-crime elite police unit were not "based on facts" and RAB was a disciplined institution that instead "has been securing human rights for the people of Bangladesh." In December last year, the U.S. Departments of Treasury and the Department of State imposed human rights-related sanctions on RAB and seven incumbent and former top officials of the elite force. VIENNA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna Wang Qun said Wednesday that the United States, Britain and Australia must address international concerns about the nuclear proliferation risks of their AUKUS deal. Wang made the remarks when addressing a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on the "Transfer of nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons)." The IAEA board on Monday decided by consensus to incorporate the AUKUS issue as a formal agenda item at China's proposal. In September 2021, the United States, Britain and Australia announced the establishment of AUKUS, under which the United States and Britain will assist Australia in its acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines. Wang noted the core issue is whether AUKUS involves the illegal transfer of nuclear weapon materials. The issue bears on the integrity, effectiveness and authority of the NPT and the interests of all IAEA member states, and thus must be clarified, he said. "If the AUKUS does involve the illegal transfer of nuclear weapon materials, the three countries must completely abolish the cooperation that openly and directly violates the NPT, impairs the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and undermines global strategic stability and international security order," he said. "Otherwise, the IAEA member states have the right and responsibility to continue the intergovernmental discussion process to resolve the issue so as to safeguard the authority and effectiveness of the NPT as well as the integrity of the IAEA safeguards system," he added. China has proposed the establishment of a special committee, open to participation of all IAEA member states, to continue in-depth discussions on AUKUS and submit recommendations to the agency's board and its general conference, according to Wang. He stressed that before a consensus is reached on a resolution, the United States, Britain and Australia should not carry out cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines, and the IAEA secretariat should not negotiate safeguard issues with the three countries. The envoy called on all IAEA member states to focus on the core issues of AUKUS and seek solutions to safeguard the NPT and the international non-proliferation regime. ANKARA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Sunday agreed to hold the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Turkey's Istanbul city, the Turkish presidency said. The two leaders had a phone conversation on Sunday and discussed the latest situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the negotiation process, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. The two leaders "agreed that the next meeting of the negotiation teams of Russia and Ukraine will be held in Istanbul," the statement said. During the conversation, Erdogan told Putin that a ceasefire and peace between Russia and Ukraine must be achieved as soon as possible and the humanitarian situation in the region should be improved, adding that Turkey would continue to "contribute in every possible way during this process." Earlier on Sunday, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, said the next round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia will take place next week in Turkey. "Today, at the video talks, it was decided to hold the next live round by two delegations in Turkey on March 28-30," Arakhamia wrote on Facebook. Meanwhile, head of Russia's negotiation team Vladimir Medinsky said the face-to-face talks will take place on March 29-30. Ukrainian and Russian delegations have held three rounds of peace talks in-person in Belarus since Feb. 28, and the fourth one started on March 14 in a format of video conference. Previously, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, met in a resort town of Turkey's southern province of Antalya on March 10. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, was the first high-level talks between Moscow and Kiev since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on Feb. 24. During the meeting, the two sides failed to make progress on a ceasefire but agreed to continue negotiations over the conflict. BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- An offshore wind farm in the coastal area of Shapa Town, south China's Guangdong Province, had generated one billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity by March 25 this year, the Science and Technology Daily reported Monday. The amount of electricity generated can replace 307,600 tonnes of standard coal and reduce 840,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to growing 3,309 hectares of broad-leaved forest, according to the news report. The wind farm, providing green energy for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, was funded and constructed by the China Three Gorges Renewables (Group) Co., Ltd, with a total installed capacity of two million kW. It consists of 315 offshore wind turbines, four offshore booster stations and almost 1,000 kilometers of submarine cables. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area can receive about 5.6 billion kWh of clean power generated by the wind farm each year, meeting the annual electricity consumption of around 2.4 million households. Page Content The reception for the artists participating in the Survivors of Violence Art Exhibit is rescheduled from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. The reception is free and open to the public. The reception for the artists participating in the Survivors of Violence Art Exhibit is rescheduled from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. The reception is free and open to the public. Alachua County Community Support Services, Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center invites survivors of violence to contribute original artwork to the 2022 Survivors of Violence Art Exhibit in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April). The extended deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 31, 2022. Those interested in submitting art for the show should fill out the online application and contact Community Support Services - Victim Services Community Education Project Coordinator Cassandra Moore at 352-262-7748. All survivors of interpersonal violence are welcome to submit original work, including performance pieces, to be presented at the reception. The exhibit will be held at the Harn Museum of Art (3259 Hull Road, Gainesville) from Tuesday, April 12, to Sunday, April 17. "Art can be utilized as an expressive outlet to process ones emotional wellbeing," said Alachua County Project Coordinator Cassandra Moore. We are honored to host this event and share the stories of those in our community who have been impacted by interpersonal violence. Geneva The United Nations agency responsible for setting international standards for the treatment of workers and improving living standards throughout the world has elected an African to lead it for the first time. The governing body of the International Labour Organization, comprising representatives of government, workers and employers, elected Gilbert F. Houngbo from Togo as its 11th Director-General during a meeting in Geneva on March 25. He was one of two Africans among the five candidates considered for the post. Although my origins are African my perspective is global, Houngbo said after his election. In an age, unfortunately of dividedness, my commitment to be a unifying Director-General stands firm, he added. Governments, employers and workers alike, from all regions across the world, can rely and should rely on my total readiness to represent and advocate the views of all tripartite constituents of the organization. The new Director-Generals five-year term will begin on October 1. The current Director-General, Guy Ryder from the United Kingdom, has held the office since 2012. The other candidates were: Kang Kyung-wha, formerly Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea; Mthunzi Mdwaba of South Africa, formerly Employers Vice-Chairperson of the ILO Governing Body; Muriel Penicaud, former Minister of Labour of France and Greg Vines, formerly a minister in the Australian government. Houngbo is currently President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Business Labour By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Committing himself to represent the voices of all, he said Im thinking about the four billion people around the world who do not have access to social protection... Im thinking about the 200-plus million women and men who face unemployment, the 160 million children in child labour the 1.6 billion people in the informal sector. The day before Houngbo's election, the ILO's governing body had temporarily suspended technical cooperation assistance to Russia, except for humanitarian assistance. Invitations to Russia to attend discretionary meetings of experts, conferences and seminars are also suspended. The body said the suspensions would last until ceasefire in Russia's war with Ukraine is agreed and a peaceful resolution implemented. The ILO is a specialized agency with three strands of membership governments, employers and organized labour. ` Abuja Many Nigerian citizens and security experts are raising concerns that the country may be overturn by terrorists after some 200 gunmen Saturday invaded an airport in Kaduna State and killed an official. The attack followed days of violent raids in the state with dozens of people killed. Saturday's attack was the latest in a spate of violence that has hit the northwestern Nigerian state for days. Federal airport authorities said the armed terrorists invaded 'runway five' of the airport from a nearby forest and opened fire, killing one official and causing flight delays. Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the military deployed to the airport immediately to repel the attack before it escalated. Armed gangs have been terrorizing the state for years. In the last few weeks, dozens of people were reported killed in series of attacks on local communities southward of the state where sectarian violence has persisted. Jakes Tudu, an activist from southern Kaduna, says the recent development is worrying. "I'm scared because it is actually overwhelming. These guys are actually doing the unimaginable, like things you could not believe or imagine," Tudu said. "Coming out in broad daylight to attack the airport is really crazy and scary." Saturday's attack also occurred as Nigerian President and top officials of his ruling political party, All Progressive Congress (APC) hosted thousands of people in Abuja to mark the party's conference ahead of next year's polls, sparking criticism. The critics say the attacks highlighted major failures on election promises made to Nigerians. "Being a state that has the Nigerian defense academy, we have the police college, name it, Kaduna used to be a fortified ground," Tudu said. "But now today we have these guys moving around in Kaduna kidnapping people." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. In 2015, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to address security concerns and boost the country's economy. But authorities have been struggling to curb frequent attacks by armed gangs who rose to prominence for the mass kidnappings of students and the killings of local residents since late 2020. Authorities say the military operations against gangs have been successful and that hundreds have been killed in recent months -- the latest being the killing of more than 200 armed gangs, known locally as 'bandits' in central Niger state earlier this month. But security analyst Senator Iroegbu says while the military appears to be making some progress there's still reason to be worried. "Government's claim to be winning the war I'm sure it's a way of motivation," Iroegbu said. "Yes there's some progress but evidence like this shows that the war has not been won." Aids groups say in recent years, that attacks like the one in southern Kaduna have sacked communities and displaced at least 30,000 people from their homes. On Saturday, the army announced on its verified Facebook page that the wreckage of the jet had been recovered. The Nigerian Army has announced that it has found the wreckage of a fighter jet, a year after it was declared missing. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the aircraft went missing during an operation against Boko Haram last April. The terror group later released a video claiming it shot down an aircraft believed to be the alpha jet declared missing by the Nigerian Air Force. The Boko Haram footage showed the wreckage of a plane, the charred fuselage bearing the phrase "NAF 475." A masked terrorist stood atop the wreckage and described the plane as "jet fighter of the Nigerian Air Force 475." Later, two mangled corpses, supposedly the pilots, were shown in military fatigues. "As you can see, this is the pilot of your aircraft, whom you sent to harm the servant of God," the terrorist said in Hausa. "This is what God did to him. He fell from the sky, and if you do not repent this will be your reward." The army, however, said the video was 'doctored,' to give the false impression that the aircraft was shot down. At the time, a spokesperson of the Nigerian Air Force admitted the alpha jet may have crashed after losing contact with the radar in Borno State during the flight. "Intelligence report gathered by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) indicates that the Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with 2 crew members on board on 31 March 2021 might have crashed," he said. He also accused Boko Haram of employing false propaganda, seeking to claim credit for what was obviously an air accident "that could have been caused by several other reasons; particularly at a time when the capability of the group to inflict mayhem has been significantly degraded by the Armed Forces of Nigeria." On Saturday, the army announced on its verified Facebook page that the wreckage of the jet had been recovered. "Troops of Operation Desert Sanity on clearance patrol in Sambisa Forest, Borno State, have uncovered the wreckage of crashed Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with 2 crew members on 31 March 2021. Further exploitation ongoing," the army wrote. NAF Plane Crashes It has been generally agreed that Nigeria needs to re-tool, fund, and re-position its military, especially in the face of the spread of terrorism, but arguably, the more urgent concern is the manner in which Nigerian Air Force aircraft have been crashing from the skies. In the last one year, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has lost at least four of its aircraft and several personnel due to air accidents. At least 20 officers also died during these tragic incidents, including senior army officers. February 2021: A military aircraft in Abuja that was bound for Niger State to search for kidnapped schoolchildren there crashed - killing all seven people on board. March 2021: A fighter Alpha Jet belonging to the Nigerian Air Force in the insurgency-ravaged Borno State in North-east Nigeria went missing. The Nigerian Army announced on Saturday that it has found the wreckage of the fighter jet a year after it was declared missing. May 2021: A NAF passenger jet crashed near Kaduna International Airport. Eleven military officers, including the Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, lost their lives in that mishap. July 2021: Bandits shot down an air force plane in a rare case of a military jet being brought down by the outlawed gang. The pilot had finished a raid against kidnappers when he came under intense fire, the Nigerian Air Force said. Flight lieutenant Dairo ejected and used "survival instincts" to avoid capture and find refuge in nearby settlements. The attack happened on the border of the northern Zamfara and Kaduna states. Boko Haram Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. For more than a decade, Boko Haram has unleashed violent attacks in Nigeria's northeast, in a worsening conflict that has also spilled into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger. More than 30,000 people are estimated to have been killed and some 3 million forced from their homes. But the insurgents have been degraded in Nigeria and reports suggest the group is now preoccupied with attacks on neighbouring West African countries. Boko Haram was responsible for only 69 deaths in Nigeria in 2021, the lowest number of deaths by the group for a decade. Abubakar Shekau, longtime leader of the armed group, reportedly committed suicide by detonating an explosives vest during a confrontation with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in May 2021. A recent report by the Global Terrorism Index said the attacks against Boko Haram by a rival terror group, ISWAP, and the counter-terrorism efforts of the Nigerian government and foreign military forces have significantly weakened Boko Haram's impact in Nigeria. analysis The Adamu whoredom applies to Iyorchia Ayu, the current chairman of the PDP as well. If Shakespearean Brutus' famous/infamous quote that, "it is the bright day that brings forth the adder, and that craves wary walking" is anything to go by, Adamu's coronation and the whoredom that the two dominant political parties - the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - have become, are very frightening signposts that Nigeria is in for more grueling socio-political afflictions, post-Buhari. In Russia's 1998 St. Petersburg local assembly elections, incumbent Oleg Sergeyev had been a thorn in the flesh of totalitarian governor, Vladimir Yakovlev. Upon Sergeyev's launch of his bid to replace him, Yakovlev waited till election date to sting him with his amusingly ingenuous strategy. On voting day, voters, majority of who were illiterate, were at sea when they found two of their adored candidate's namesakes on the ballot - Oleg Sergeyev and Oleg Sergeyev. The former was a pensioner and the latter, an unemployed man, both of whom had no qualification for the office they sought but were implanted decoys by Yakovlev. Voters eventually cast their votes for the "wrong" Sergeyev as the authoritarian governor had planned. Nic Cheeseman and Brian Klaas' classic, How To Rig An Election (2018) told the above story to drive home its thesis that, even with the prevalence of multiparty elections, counterfeit democrats in leadership of nations still devise the most effective but invisible cunning of stealing the outcomes of elections well before polling days, without being caught. Since Saturday's coronation of former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu, as chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the above story has refused to stop preying on my subconscious. At that convention where Adamu went through a kingly coronation, Buhari stole the Yakovlev blueprint, with minor adjustments, but with the same wily intention. It was such that optimists who had waited patiently, with bated breath, for a disruption of the iniquitous status quo, at the final culmination of the Adamu installation, must be in a very sober mood now. The ones among them who believed that 2023 would be the moment that Nigeria would be making a U-turn from its current path of ruination, went home dejected and terribly downcast. It is obvious that an admixture of the desperation for Adamu's candidacy by President Buhari, the deadly horse trading that went into it, the ruination of ambitions and the billions of naira that must have been tethered by the groove of the coronation, are all targeted at one thing: To make post-2023 Nigeria indistinguishable from and a continuation of the Buhari presidency. Cheeseman and Klaas' description of that mindset is that, "Thirty years ago, the main aim of the average dictator was to avoid holding elections; today, it is to avoid losing them" and continue in office through proxies and by stealth. If Shakespearean Brutus' famous/infamous quote that, "it is the bright day that brings forth the adder, and that craves wary walking" is anything to go by, Adamu's coronation and the whoredom that the two dominant political parties - the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - have become, are very frightening signposts that Nigeria is in for more grueling socio-political afflictions, post-Buhari. In that quote, Brutus forewarned Romans that, at a time of peace following the end of the civil war which the time was, allowing Julius Caesar to seize too much power was akin to leading him on to become a despot. Adder, which Brutus likened Caesar to, was a V-shape headed poisonous snake which had zig-zag markings on its back and eyes partially covered with scales. This gave adders a deceptive appearance. To Brutus, while it is a sunny day, Romans must be wary of stepping on the adder. But Buhari has led Nigerians right on, to step on the adder. Abdullahi Adamu, his queer but bosom choice for the chairmanship of the APC, has engendered so many inquisitions, bothers and enquiries. Born in Keffi in July 1946, Adamu joined politics in 1977 as a member of the Constituent Assembly, became a member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), its secretary-general in Plateau State and in 1997, joined the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP). In 1998, he became a founding member of the PDP, becoming a two-term governor of the party and Secretary of its Board of Trustees (BOT). In a renowned case of political prostitution, Adamu was a member of the new PDP that fused into the ruling APC and since 2011, he has been in the Senate, representing Nasarawa West. Arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in February 2010 for allegedly embezzling $100 million of money belonging to the State he governed and which was earmarked for public projects, characteristically of the effete Nigerian anti-corruption fight, Adamu still got himself elected senator in 2011. Aside the probable quest to reify the rule of gerontocrats that might be at the core of Buhari's queer quest of getting Adamu to be the chairman of the APC at all costs, there are talks that his major fascination with an Adamu candidacy is the latter's disdain for a Leader of the party who wants to be president of Nigeria. With Adamu as chair, all hopes of any lout badgering into the presidential groovy train would be dashed. With these "laudable" credentials as fascinating paradoxes, Adamu's EFCC baggage and his senescence became secondary to a president desirous of controlling the lever of political process and ensuring the emergence of a successor president, not totally dissimilar to him in drudgery and incapacity. The Adamu whoredom applies to Iyorchia Ayu, the current chairman of the PDP as well. Elected senator by his Tiv people of Benue State during the Third Republic, Ayu became president of the Senate in 1992 but was impeached in November of the following year, later becoming General Sani Abacha's minister of Education. Thereafter, he held various ministerial positions in the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo's PDP, between 1999 and 2005. Aside Adamu's baggage and his political prostitution that have become inconsequential to a "change"-driven APC, what has become an issue for discussion in recent time, is the beehive-like swarming of the ruling party by erstwhile PDP commissars, who are taking strategic positions in the APC. Apart from Adamu, as I write this, the narrative has shifted from Ken Nnamani, the former PDP Senate president, who was hitherto primed to be engrafted into and become the party's deputy chairman (South) to Chief Emma Eneukwu, a fomer All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) national publicity secretary. Another political bigwig who is being essentialised into the core of APC is Iyiola Omisore, a former PDP stalwart and senator, who is poised to become the party's national secretary, among other political birds of passage. Apparently seeking to remove this political prostitution as being the essence of Nigerian politics, a couple of weeks ago, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, to vacate office after his defection from the PDP to the APC. According to the judge, upon his defection, Umahi was no longer entitled to be called a governor. A similar fate may be awaiting the governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade. In spite of the theoretical postulation that politics is about compromise, Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, in a 2021 piece, drew a parallel between prostitution and spineless carpet-crossing in Nigeria. According to him, there are "more male prostitutes in the crooked field of partisan politics than there are female harlots in the brothels across Nigeria." A similar trope was canvassed by Timothy and Charity Doyle in their 2008-published book, Political Prostitution, as well as in University of Laiden's Joyce Outshoorn's edited book, The Politics of Prostitution. The latter book talks about the democratic states and the globalisation of sex commerce. They both however seem to be saying that there is an unbroken connection, one between the history of prostitution and politics, and an unchanging story in the recorded experience between sexual exploitation and the violent mistreatment of the female person by men. These, they likened to the indiscriminate political whim of politicians in jumping political beds. In both - the female body and political office - there is an attempt to use and show them as elements susceptible to and captured by purchase. The Adamu whoredom applies to Iyorchia Ayu, the current chairman of the PDP as well. Elected senator by his Tiv people of Benue State during the Third Republic, Ayu became president of the Senate in 1992 but was impeached in November of the following year, later becoming General Sani Abacha's minister of Education. Thereafter, he held various ministerial positions in the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo's PDP, between 1999 and 2005. However, in December 2005, Obasanjo, without any justifiable reason, dismissed Ayu. Upon falling out with the president, Ayu left the PDP, joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and teamed up with Atiku Abubakar, becoming head of his campaign team. However, in February 2007, Ayu was arrested and arraigned by a federal court on charges of terrorism. It would appear that from 1999, the major criterion for consideration for the national chairmanship of the PDP and now the APC, is a history of indictment for corruption. I went into the political history of the chairmen of the two major political parties in Nigeria with the aim of showing that if the foundations of the two dominant parties are this polluted with whoredom and undisguised harlotry, what we will be erecting on their structures are superstructures that are compromised, ab-initio. The selection of Adamu was not only not democratic, it was also not in the fashion of selection in a monarchy. It has a major resemblance with whoredom, where the prostitute goes into bed with the most cash-flavoured seminal fluid. It will be difficult for us to impeach the seminal legal doctrine, snippets of what we also have in social relations, which holds that, "from a dishonorable cause, an action does not arise," expressed in the Latin maxim, ex turpi causa non oritur actio.This legal maxim states that a plaintiff cannot pursue a legal relief and damages if they arise in connection with their own tortious act. It is reinforced in the English case of Hewison v Meridian Shipping Services Pte. Ltd. In that, an employee who came into office by reason of concealing the fact that he suffered from epilepsy, upon approaching the court for compensation in a claim for loss of earnings as a result of his employer's negligence, the court held that his deception would prevent him from obtaining similar employment in future. Judging by the financial and coercive powers that incumbents possess in Nigeria, this first major foot thrust forward by Buhari into 2023 in coercively imposing his affectionate candidate as chairman of APC, reminds one of Brutus and the adder. While the Nigerian day is sunny, Nigerians must be wary of this adder that Buhai is coercing us to step on. As it is said of every "nothing" upon which if "something" is erected, this "something" will ultimately share semblance and similar umbilical cord with the foundational "nothing" wherein we are trapped as a people. ... can somebody tell minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to keep shut and stop heaping salt on the injury of Nigerians? Last Friday, he had said in a Channels television interview that the APC deserved re-election because the party had performed well enough and that the party indeed answers to the political party classification of progressivism. I was so sickened by this unfeeling grandstanding that I immediately went out to puke. Similarly, as we move on, Iyorchia Ayu's PDP's foot will be encumbered by a sore of gangrenous proportion as that of Abdullahi Adamu. Unfortunately, it is from these two men that the leader, who is expected to pilot Nigeria to the utopia, 2023 - the Nigerian year of regeneration, redemption and sanity - will emerge. It will seem that our fate as a people will then be nothing more than the script of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. In this play, two characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo) are engaged in several layers of discussion and encounters, as they await a titular Godot who, at the end of the day, never arrives. By the way, can somebody tell minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to keep shut and stop heaping salt on the injury of Nigerians? Last Friday, he had said in a Channels television interview that the APC deserved re-election because the party had performed well enough and that the party indeed answers to the political party classification of progressivism. I was so sickened by this unfeeling grandstanding that I immediately went out to puke. "First of all, there is nothing patented about the use of the word 'progressive.' Let me dispel that quickly. Progressivism for me is being concerned about improving the human condition. All of the investments we have made, whether for business or employment, aim at only one thing -- improving the human condition. "Let me just remind you that our opponent had 16 years. We beat them at the peak of power when they had almost 30 governors. We beat them again in 2019, and we will do it again, because I don't remember them providing one alternative to the options we have given or alternative to the measures that we have proposed," he had said. Apart from the incoherent fallacy of ascribing 30 governors to the PDP when the APC beat the PDP - as the party had 23 governors, out of which five defected to APC in 2013 - sometimes, one is led into believing that some of these Star Boy Governmental Miracle Workers are creations of our limited estimations of their elan. If Lai Mohammed had been the author of that distressing statement, it would have been understood. That it was coming from a Fashola, reputed for his miracle-working strides in Lagos, equating progressivism with infrastructure is the unkindest cut. Does he know that the so-called infrastructural binge of the Buhari government is totally disconnected from the people? Is he aware that the infrastructure is brought about by a government which totally abandoned the intangible progress of nationhood of unifying disparate peoples of the republic but chose instead to hawk misery in daylight to the people? Does he know that Nigerians had never witnessed this level of hopelessness and misery of the Buhari government since Lord Lugard's amalgamation? We can only - apologies to Bola Ige - siddon look, believing that this too shall pass. Interrogating Archbishop Akinfenwa's Passing The Baton Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The book is both a historical work, as well as a theological shuttle into the essence of faith and the expectations of the world from a Christian believer. It is one which all must have and read, for enlightenment, teaching and understanding of the role of Christian church fathers in the propagation of the faith, irrespective of religious leanings. If any African needs an understanding of the spiritual lens with which colonial Europe viewed the continent and its peoples, Richard Henry Stone's In Africa's Forest And Jungles: Six Years Among the Yorubas, about an American missionary, who was a representative of the Southern Baptist Convention's account of his sojourn in Africa during the nineteenth century, tells the story very poignantly. Among others, Stone had written that, "They (Nigerians) are the tortured slaves of superstitions which destroy everything like peace of mind, and they know nothing of that happiness that is found in every place worthy of the name of a Christian home. In this life they are in constant dread of the unseen power of malignant spirits; and in death, not a single ray of hope disperses the gloom of the grave: they seem to pass away in sullen, speechless despair. In religious things, their minds are a desert, a wilderness." However, when it came to writing about the Osoogun, Iseyin Local Goveernment, Oyo State-born Bishop Ajayi Crowther, Stone had said that before he left Africa, he "became well acquainted with him and learned to love and venerate him very sincerely; for he was gentle, humble and sympathetic, and was a great comfort to me in a time of deep distress." Since then, so many writers have told the story of that 12-year old captured African boy sold to the Portuguese by slave hunters in 1821, who later became so useful to the propagation of the Christian faith in Africa, translating the Bible into Yoruba. It is said that a Sierra Leonean former Igbo slave boy, named Christopher Taylor, who worked under Crowther as the Bishop of the Niger in the 1800s, translated the Bible into Igbo language. However, the most recent of works on Crowther is the book, Passing The Baton, authored by the Archbishop of the Anglican Church, Dr Joseph Olatunji Akinfenwa. A reworking of his PhD thesis, in the book, Akinfenwa highlights Crowther's consequential struggles to weave together a Christian faith in Africa and how his descendants and family tree have continued this work of situating the church in the entire project of spreading the faith. The major thrust of Akinfenwa's book is to interrogate the succession of family trees in ministerial assignments in Nigeria. For instance, how many children of Christian ministers are retained in the church of their parents, long after their forebears had translated mortality for immortality. In this book, he cites so many instances to back up his claim. However, as the Yoruba will explain this dilemma in their quip that the faith of the father is helpless to rescue his child from Armageddon - igbagbo baba o gb'omola, this has been the case in both Pentecostal and orthodox churches over the centuries. Akinfenwa's methodic elevation of this work from a doctoral thesis, with its turgid academic lingo and cants, into an accessible work of art is commendable. The book is both a historical work, as well as a theological shuttle into the essence of faith and the expectations of the world from a Christian believer. It is one which all must have and read, for enlightenment, teaching and understanding of the role of Christian church fathers in the propagation of the faith, irrespective of religious leanings. Festus Adedayo is an Ibadan-based journalist. "Eight years on, the government of our party and the Nigerian people has embarked on the largest investments in infrastructure in our history; investments in rail, roads, in power and broadband connectivity." Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the All Progressives Congress (APC) -led Federal Government has embarked on the largest investments in infrastructure and agriculture in Nigeria's history. Mr Osinbajo's spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Sunday, said the vice president spoke on Saturday night at the APC convention, held at the Eagles Square, Abuja. The vice president spoke ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari and joined him on Sunday to witness the swearing-in of the newly-elected National Executive Council officers of the party. Mr Osinbajo said the vision and determination of Mr Buhari to significantly improve the economy, enhance security, and fight against corruption remained firm. He said the Federal Government under APC remained committed to creating more jobs for Nigerians, increasing access to healthcare, and building a united, strong nation, among others. "We will actualise the pledge of universal health coverage for all; we will continue undaunted in the task of building infrastructure that will be the foundation of the great modern economy of our dreams. "We will continue in the task of building a strong, united, fair and just Nigeria; a Nigeria where every young man and woman can find opportunities to work and prosper. "We must focus on the objective of taking 100 million out of poverty in this decade, as promised by this government under the leadership of President Buhari. "We will not relent; we will not look back and we will not falter; and by the grace of God, this party, our party, the APC will in the coming decades, lead Nigeria and its great peoples to its manifest destiny. "Our eyes must remain fixed on three things: one - jobs; two - jobs and three- jobs." He urged leaders of the party to, in the coming months and years, remain resolute, committed and focused on the vision of the president to deliver on the economy, security for all and the fight against corruption. "Despite the challenges, including insurgency and the COVID-19 pandemic that affected global economies, the Buhari-led administration, in the past eight years, has made great strides in ensuring national development. "The years of building are always difficult, and sometimes, painful; the building of a great edifice requires deep roots into the ground and a foundation as deep sometimes into the ground as the grand edifice that it will support. "We cannot deny the difficulties we, as a party, and the government, and indeed, our people, have been through, but the Federal Government and the people will continue to build the Nigeria of our dreams. "We have had to tackle terrorist activities, insurgency and security challenges in parts of the country." Mr Osinbajo said Nigerians had remained steadfast, resilient and determined to see the Nigeria of their dreams, while the government had also remained steadfast, determined, committed and focused. He said the achievements of the administration in the areas of infrastructure and social investments, as well as the contributions of the private sector to national development stood out. "Eight years on, the government of our party and the Nigerian people has embarked on the largest investments in infrastructure in our history; investments in rail, roads, in power and broadband connectivity. 'We have birthed an irreversible agricultural revolution, investing more in agriculture than any previous government in the history of our nation. "We have established the largest social investment programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa, feeding 9.5 million children daily in our home-grown school feeding programme, over four million beneficiaries of our Government Empowerment and Enterprise Programme (GEEP) - the MarketMoni, TraderMoni, FarmerMoni. "Our private sector has, despite constraints, continued to do wonders; only a few days ago, the president commissioned the largest fertiliser plant in Africa and one of the largest fertilizer plants in the world. " And in a few months, the largest single line refinery in the world will become operational under this government and in this nation. "Since 2015, in the tech sector, our young men and women have established world class companies; today Nigeria can boast of six unicorns - tech companies valued at over 1 billion dollars each." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Agribusiness Governance Nigeria By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Mr Osinbajo congratulated all the members of the party and specially commended the founding fathers of the APC for their vision and foresight. The vice president applauded the president, whose vision and direction he said brought about that merger that became known as the APC. Mr Osinbajo acknowledged the roles of a former governor of Osun State and first interim Chairman of the APC, Bisi Akande, National Leader and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu and former Governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko. He also appreciated Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Abia State and Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha. "These men, among others, sat together to craft what is known today as the APC, Africa's largest political party, and will be Africa's most successful political party," he said. The convention also saw the emergence of Abdullahi Adamu as the new national chairman of the APC, among other National and Zonal leaders of the party. opinion Background When Nigeria finished the privatisation of the then Power Holdings Company of Nigeria Plc (PHCN) in November 2003, there was that Eureka moment all over the country as the privatisation had been sold as the solution to all issues bedevilling the sector. Of course, most of us supported the effort as we had all agreed that government was not the right party to manage such a critical sector. And Nigerians had seen the transformation in the telecommunications sector, occasioned by the introduction of private sector participants that made the inefficiency of previous Nigeria Telecommunications Ltd (NITEL) a thing of the past. Government also recognised the two main issues that led to lack of access all over the country: Lack of enough generation, transmission, and distribution capacity to ensure that Nigerian consumers enjoyed stable electricity in their homes and offices. Non cost reflective tariff to ensure that the value chain was operated and maintained efficiently, and investments made for future growth. On the first point, an entity called the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Plc (NBET) was created. Its mission was to be the bridge between the distribution companies and consumers on one side, and the generation and transmission companies on the other. The logic was that for a country of more than 150 million (as at the time), less than 3,000 MW of electricity was very inadequate. And increasing this capacity required assuring investors that they would be paid for their investments. So NBET was supposed to shield these investors by using a temporary subsidy to be provided by government to make them whole, thereby facilitating more investment in the sector that would increase capacity with the magic number then being 20,000 MW. The expectation was that at this level of capacity, there would be stable electricity across the country which would now lead to the solution to the second problem, the cost-reflectivity of the tariff. On the second issue, Nigerians have always taken electricity as a social product which should not be paid for. It is difficult to pinpoint when, exactly, this attitude emerged; but it stands to reason that as electricity from the grid became increasingly unstable (and so served as a back-up power source to most people rather than their primary source), people stopped paying for a product they were not receiving. Cognisant of this, the government at the point of privatisation planned to increase the tariff over time. The logic was that people would only start paying when service had improved, and service would only improve if the previous issue of under capacity was solved. One big flaw in this line of reasoning was that in the process of selling the privatisation programme to Nigerians, a picture was painted of the government taking its hands off the sector and no more spending scarce resources to service it. Subsequently, at the end of the exercise, the government had no plan on how to convince Nigerians that money would still be allocated to make the investors in the generation and transmission sectors whole. With money not provided and consumers not getting any service, payments were not made to the distribution companies (DISCOs) and rather than playing the role it was set up for, NBET turned into a post office, passing the upstream delinquency of the DISCOs to the generating and transmission companies. It can be seen from the above that even as engineers, we know our capacities and capabilities but one key ingredient we must consider in our plans is: will people pay for this service when out? This is because money drives all investments and as I previously stated at the beginning, no matter how good or beautiful a product is, if no one pays for it, it becomes a failure. The beautiful privatisation didn't deliver on the expectations because government reneged on the most important part of the process: keeping investors engaged and interested in the process long enough for consumers to take over the payment of the electricity being generated and sold to homes and offices. Immediately that chain was broken by NBET serving as a post office, transferring the delinquency of the consumers to the investors, investors took flight. That's why since the end of the privatisation, only one power plant has been built in the country. And for that to happen, serious credit securitisation from both the government and the World Bank were secured. But for a government that is in need of money to service its numerous obligations, it is not ready again to give more. Investors on the other hand will not come in when they don't have any means of recovering their investment or making profit because consumers are not paying for the electricity they use. As for the consumers, how can one ask them to pay when grid electricity serves as back-up energy source to them while private generators serve as the primary source? All these now lead to a conundrum or as the saying goes, chicken and egg situation. This situation has deteriorated still further as the population has been increasing while investments needed to achieve reliable electricity have stagnated. And government on its part is bankrupt that it can't pay its way out of the situation. Where then lies the solution? Are we going to leave the situation as it is? The answer should be no, as it's known all over the world that electricity is the primary commodity that catalyses economic growth. By way of comparison, while annual electricity consumption per capita for most Western countries is typically above 4,000 kilowatt hours, for Nigeria, the current figure stands at just 150 kilowatt hours. It therefore means that Nigeria can never develop and maintain economic competitiveness until its electricity sector is fixed. This is not a hyperbole; it is a fact. The Present Situation I have only spoken about the past to help us understand where we are, not as avenue to apportion blame. The question should simply be how do we fix this broken system? How can Nigeria be like other countries of the world where citizens don't have to bother about generators and their attendant noise pollution and leverage the public electricity works to solve their challenges? We can see that, as at today, we are at a crossroads. DisCos are not remitting enough to the industry to incentivise investment in the upstream part of the sector. Government cannot bridge the gap because it has barely enough money to pay the salaries of its civil servants. Consumers themselves are not ready to pay because the service being received is highly inadequate. Before tackling these challenges, it is useful to debunk the various myths being bandied about by some players in the industry. Cost-reflective tariffs will quickly solve all the problems. This myth is being bandied about by the DisCos, who know full well that the government doesn't have the money to make up the shortfall or the political will to pass on the full cost of reliable power for an unreliable service. Besides, what is really the cost-reflective tariff in an industry that is very inefficient and has not attracted investment for year?. Even the basic metering for households to determine their electricity consumption is not readily available. Those who retail this myth tend to ignore the fact that, on average, only 4,000 MW is sent to homes and offices every day, in a country of almost 200 million. This low generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in the country simply means that even were the tariffs to be raised to high heavens, households would not have reliable and stable power for their use. And when it takes an average of 5 years to develop and build a new power plant, for a shortfall of more than 40,000 MW, it will take at least 20 years to bridge the gap. So, while cost-reflective tariffs are undoubtedly the key to the turnaround of the sector, they cannot turn the industry around overnight. Instead, a strong and unwavering political commitment will need to be exercised over a long period of time before the sector can turn the corner. Consumers are not ready to pay for electricity. While it is difficult to ascertain who benefits from this myth, the reality on the ground shows that consumers are ready to pay when reliable and stable services are provided. Examples abound of communities that have pooled resources to pay for power at over N100/kWh in different parts of the country. While some have claimed that this willingness to pay for power is prevalent only in well to do and prosperous areas (mostly in Lagos and its environs), recent solar projects in rural poor areas of the north have also exposed the fallacy in this myth as we have seen households in those areas paying more than N200/kWh to have reliable power. Key for all consumers is reliability of supply and proper metering to ensure they are billed for their actual consumption. Power is a social commodity and should be provided by government. This myth stems from the past when utilities were usually owned by government which subsidised the service as a way to curry favour with its citizens. But the reality is that power is just like every other product: telecommunications, food, transport, etc. While some governments provide these services free of charge, there is no such thing as as "free lunch". Rather, the citizens are paying via the taxes they remit to the same government. Moreover, the inefficiency inherent in the model is that low energy users subsidise the high energy users. That is why some people still leave their light bulbs or air conditioners on during the day and when not needed because they are not bearing the full cost of their consumption. And given the chronic mismanagement of Nigeria's fiscal resources, the reality is that the government today does not have the requisite funds to subsidise electricity for homes and businesses; and no investor will invest based on subsidy or without seeing a path to profitably recover their investment. This means that for reliable and stable electricity to be the norm in the country, users of power must pay for it, thereby incentivising more investment to the sector. Unfortunately for Nigeria and its citizens, while the original path designed for the sector was not without its challenges, succumbing to the above myths by policymakers and industry players alike has halted the move towards reliable electricity and scared the few investors who were hoping to invest their patient capital. That's why since 2010, only the 460 MW Azura-Edo IPP has been built by the private sector in Nigeria and there is currently no clear path for other investors to follow, for a country that needs to be adding at least 2,000 MW per annum consistently for the next decade or more. And unless these myths are universally debunked and thrown out, we will witness another decade without any meaningful progress in the sector. Unlocking the Bottleneck With all the challenges in the sector, experience has shown that the key bottleneck to any improvement lies at the DISCO end where either the consumers are not ready to pay for the electricity consumed or the DISCOs have not invested the necessary resources to serve those consumers and to collect their tariffs. While not blaming the DISCOs for this issue (as confusing policies and utterances from policymakers have played a major role in exacerbating the situation), fixing this challenge and getting the market to cover its cost is fundamental to any future progress. Meanwhile, government subsidy cannot continue as the Government doesn't have the funds to cover this. It is also very inefficient and rather than encouraging investment, scares away investors who believe that it is unsustainable and can be stopped any day. DISCOs on their part have become comfortable with the status quo where they are not challenged on their business practices and can rely on the state to offset their inefficiencies. That is why till today, no DISCO has made any meaningful investment to improve its network nor provide meters to its customers to be able to improve its collections. They explain their inaction on the grounds of "lack of funds". But the normal business practice under such a situation would be for the shareholders to invest more money in the business or, where they don't have the means, to allow in new investors who do have the resources. But when the government was picking up the tab, existing investors were reluctant to recapitalise (and suffer the consequential dilution of their stake); and this reluctance prolonged the sector's inefficiency. For NBET, it has continuously played the role of post office, passing the distribution delinquency up the value chain and for such a long time that it is now difficult to reorientate the agency back towards its original raison d'etre. The recent extension of its operating licence - by just 3 years - has further shown to industry players that it is not meant to play a long-term role in the emerging electricity industry. It will therefore be very difficult for any investor to take NBET into consideration while preparing its investment plans, especially as it has failed to perform the key function for which it was set up over 10 years ago. The Path Forward Breaking the chicken and egg cycle is always a difficult task, more so in a country where the trust between the citizens and government has been eroded for a long time. There has also been a huge sunk cost by most consumers in the form of generators, inverters and associated equipment installed at homes and offices which will be a factor in people's decision-making process. Any request to pay more while hoping for an improvement of service will be met with scepticism. Moreover, electricity is difficult to transmit to those who are eager to have it (unlike mobile phone technology the success of which is touted across the country) since for power flow, a cable needs to be connected between the generator and homes and offices. Nevertheless, to move forward, we must learn the core lessons from the successful privatisation of the telecommunications industry. That means accepting that we do not have enough generating capacity to give every citizen stable and reliable electricity. It therefore follows - as a matter of simple business logic - that where there is scarcity of a good or service, the only available means of discrimination to give it to the right party is to auction such goods or service to the highest bidder. Considering the above, it should also be noted that the DISCOs have obligations to two distinct stakeholders in the value chain. The first is to their suppliers which give them electricity to sell. Their main obligation to this cohort is to pay for the cost of those goods given to them, in this case the cost of generating and transmitting electricity to their networks. To be able to do this, they need to collect enough money from their customers to cover the cost of this electricity supplied, as well as operate and maintain their facilities. That means they have to understand their customers and channel their whole resource to those customers who are able and want to pay for the electricity consumed. While the recent service reflective tariff is a step in the right direction, it still restricts the DISCOs ability to charge fully for the service they render and does not hold them under strict obligation to render the said service. While policymakers believe that this protects the poor members of the society, the situation on the ground means that everyone ends up suffering from the insufficiency of investment. This further reinforces the reluctance of those customers who are supposed to be under a higher band to pay for the said service thereby repeating the same cycle we have been in for so long. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Energy By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The right policy rather will be for this policy to be expanded further to fully liberalise the tariff and allow DISCOs to charge their customers what they are willing to pay as long as those DISCOs meet their obligation to their suppliers. DISCOs as rational businesses will then channel this scarce resource to the right parties and also invest in metering to ensure they capture and charge for the right quantity of electricity to their consumers. While this means that large sections of the country may not have constant and stable electricity in the short term, toeing this path creates an incentive for more investment in the sector as well as the release of more entrepreneurial spirit for solutions for the rest of the country where grid power is not available. While this might seem like "pure capitalism" and the satisfaction of the rich at the expense of the larger society, the reality is that the poorer members of society consume little, if any, grid-power and their energy needs are met by kerosene, firewood and petrol generators. At the other end of the spectrum, the richer members of society invest heavily in expensive diesel generators. Both rich and poor alike are trapped in a prisoner's dilemma. And the emancipation of all sections of society - from the grinding energy poverty to which previous policies have condemned them - can only come through a sober confrontation with the ineluctable laws of demand and supply. Conclusion While the solution proffered above seems simple, I also wish to recognise that it is not very easy for a politician who is looking at how to garner votes from the citizens in a few years' time. It therefore becomes easy for them to tinker with a model that works hoping to satisfy all but at the end satisfying none. But I believe that time has come when we engineers will have to add our voice to this call as energy is unique in that it cannot be stored effectively and can also not be moved around easily. And the more they tinker, the more we fall behind. Finally, even for those that can afford it, it will still be nice for them to note that grid power remains the cleanest, most reliable, and cheapest form of energy for every home all over the world. Once again, I thank the Dean and Faculty of the University of Nigeria for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this topic. Edu Okeke is the managing director of the 461MW Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant. He delivered this paper at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, on Friday, March 25. State prosecutors from 11 East African countries have vowed to tighten their cross border cooperation and tackle money laundering crimes so as to combat wildlife crimes and other emerging transnational crimes. The commitments were made during the closing of the East Africa Association of Prosecutors' (EAAP) technical committee meeting concluded last week in Nairobi. Signed by all EAAP members, the partnership is expected to strip wildlife traffickers of their ill-gotten gains, disrupt networks, and send the message that wildlife crimes won't prevail. Gitonga Murang'a, the EAAP Secretariat Coordinator said this new agreement will see all prosecutors agreeing with one voice on strategies to strictly tackle wildlife crimes. "We will intensify training on asset recovery, cybercrime, and wildlife crime in each member country to ensure that all the prosecutors involved are speaking with one voice and sending the same message to poachers and other perpetrators of these crimes in the region that wildlife crime won't pay," he commented. EAAP Members which include Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, were reminded of the network the association has provided them with, to share experiences and further strengthen ways to strip international wildlife traffickers of their ill-gotten gains. On his part, Jamal Juma Kafumbe, the Prosecutors' Forum Coordinator, tackled the aspect of the Asian market. "This illicit trade continues because of the demand for wildlife assets such as ivory in markets, specifically in Asia. We must start shifting our efforts to putting pressure on the markets that generate this demand," he observed. Sharing his sentiments on this, Javier Montano, the Regional Coordinator at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) hailed the partnership of East African countries to come together and tackle wildlife crimes. He described the multipartite commitment as an encouragement to all countries that are closely watching the milestones and achievements we are making. Mr Adamu, popularly called the "Bridge," began his political career in 1977 when he was elected a member of the Constituent Assembly, which drafted the 1979 Constitution. Abdullahi Adamu, the new national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was born in Keffi, Nasarawa State, on July 23, 1946. He attended Abdu Zanga Primary School, Keffi and completed it at the Laminga Senior Primary School in 1959. He moved to the Government Secondary School, Makurdi, Benue State between 1960 and 1962 and thereafter to the Government Technical College, Bukuru, Plateau State from 1962 to 1965. Mr Adamu obtained the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Building and Civil Engineering from the Kaduna Polytechnic in 1968 and the Higher National Diploma from the same institution in 1971. He had worked as a maintenance supervisor at National Electric Power Authority before returning for his HND. When he left school, Mr Adamu worked with the Northern Nigeria Development Corporation (NDDC) in Kaduna before moving to the private sector. He became a Consultant Area Manager with AEK, a firm of consultants. He was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Jos-based Benue-Plateau Construction Company (BEPCO). Mr Adamu, popularly called the "Bridge," began his political career in 1977 when he was elected a member of the Constituent Assembly, which drafted the 1979 Constitution. At the beginning of Second Republic, he became a founding member of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) which was formed from a political association, the National Movement. At the time, his home state, Nasarawa was part of the old Plateau State. Thereafter, he was eventually elected Secretary of the NPN in Plateau State and later its chairman. Upon the collapse of the Second Republic in 1983, Mr Adamu went to the University of Jos to study law as a part-time student. He was through with his studies by 1992 and enrolled in the Nigeria Law School, Lagos. In 1994, the new APC chairman was appointed a member of the National Constitutional Conference convoked by the military administration of Sani Abacha. A year later, precisely in 1995, Mr Adamu was appointed the Minister of State for Works and Housing, a position he occupied until November 17, 1997. When the ban on politics was lifted by the Abacha administration, he joined the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) on whose platform he wanted to run for the governorship seat of Nasarawa State. That process was truncated following the death of Mr Abacha in 1998. In 1999, following the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, Mr Adamu became a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He contested and won the governorship election of Nasarawa State. He was governor for eight years between May 1999 and 2007. After his tenure, Mr Adamu was charged to court in 2010 by the EFCC alongside 19 other Nasarawa State officials with 149 counts of corruption. The anti-graft body accused him of embezzling N15 billion public funds. While he served as governor, Mr Adamu chaired the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) between 1999 and 2004. In 2007, the year he left office, the former governor won election into the Senate on PDP's platform to represent Nasarawa West Senatorial District in 2007. On January 29, 2014, he and 10 other PDP senators joined the APC. In the Senate, Mr Adamu was appointed the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture. He also chaired the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) but was removed in 2018 for alleged "financial mismanagement and maladministration," according to a letter from the Forum's signed by its then spokesperson, Dino Melaye, and read on the floor of the upper chamber by the then Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Shortly after the announcement, Shehu Sani (Kaduna-APC), who was a member of the forum, alleged that Mr. Adamu and other executive members mismanaged about N70 million belonging to the group. Mr Adamu was to explain that he was removed as NSF chair because he led nine other senators to reject the passage of election sequence by the Senate during the amendment to the Electoral Act. Last September, Mr Adamu was named chairman of the APC National Reconciliation Committee, an assignment that took him and members of his team to some states where the party had been factionalised or facing crises. Mr Adamu was at various times Chairman of the Board of Directors of Benue Cement Company, Gboko and a member of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Mr Adamu, who is married with five children, holds the traditional titles of Sarkin Yakin Keffi and Aare Obateru of the Source, Ife, Osun State. As they celebrated the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Medical Student's Association of Rwanda (MEDSAR), members said that they dedicated this milestone towards raising awareness around Non Communicable Diseases (NDCs). As part of their celebrations, they held public screening for eyes and dental care in Kayonza District, during which they found a big number of people in need of medical attention. Diane Ishimwe Nzanana, a student in medicine at the University of Rwanda who participated in the outreach activity said that many cited lack of means as the reason they were not seeking medical attention. Patients found with eye and dental problems were provided with eyeglasses and prescribed toothpaste, and those who couldn't afford medical care were assisted by the association's partners to get the medical care they need. The president of the association, Eric Niyongira says that their association aims at having a role in preventing some diseases in the community by availing information on how to protect themselves. "Providing health care services to the Rwandan community is part of building our country, we want to be able to reach a very big number in the country and that is why we are advocating for many issues and conducting community outreaches," he says. Patrick Ndimubanzi the Executive Secretary of the Human Resource for Health secretariat, talked about the different interventions in place to increase the number of medical practitioners in the country. "We currently have 80 to 100 students in medicine, but we are trying to increase the number per cohort up to 150 to 200 students enrolling into medical studies. But to achieve, that we need to increase the number of lecturers," he said, adding that the quest for quantity will not compromise quality. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Rwanda Health By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. He also hinted at the need to increase number infrastructure including laboratories as well as hospitals where they can carry out their practicals. Although they have managed to reach a wide range of the community and provided different services, the association still faces challenges to reach their expected outcomes. They said that they want to focus on dissemination of information on Sexual Reproductive Health targeting rhe youth. "We are advocating for the patient's rights, providing sexual and availing sexual and reproductive health information, we still face a challenge like lack of understanding on sexual reproductive health due to socialstigma and lack of information," said Niyongira. The association also faces financial challenges and a wider reach out to the community as for now they have only two campuses in Huye and Kigali. MEDSAR was founded in 1997 with 900 members. The association has three main goals one is bringing together all medical students in Rwanda, developing knowledge and research and also supporting the Rwandan society. A Triple Eviction means that there will be a total of five Big Brother Mzansi Finalists. Voting has already opened, so viewers need to do their get their favourite to win! Before the show even started, we knew it was going to be a dramatic one. As the last Live Eviction Show before Finale Week, it was crunch time for the Housemates. There were five Nominees, and only two spots, so there was a tight bottleneck to get through. The first Housemate to get blocked by that bottleneck was Terry. During her exit interview with Lawrence, Terry said that she may have lost her sanity a bit while in the House, but that she was back, now! Which makes us very happy. When shown a reel of her time in the House, all she had to say was, I love it! Always one to wear her heart on her sleeve, Terry was never likely to get into self-recrimination. She made an impact on the show, thats for sure. The second Housemate to hear about their Eviction was Sis Tamara. Sis Tamara was the first person to enter the House and was quickly established as strong personality and a leading contender for the R2 million. When speaking to Lawrence, Sis Tamara said that she is more accepting of herself, and that she now also accepts the character of Ukho as her own. Numerous Housemates have expressed how they thought that Sis Tamara was an outstanding personality in the House, and we must agree. The third Evictee was Thato, who went head-to-head against Gash1 to hear her fate. It was something of a sad moment their relationship has been blossoming of late, and the fact that they are now split is obviously unpleasant for them both. She told Lawrence that she is hopelessly in love and will miss Gash1. She wont have to miss him for long, though one week from today, we will discover who the winner of the grand prize is. We cant wait! Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Entertainment By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. You can VOTE to SAVE your favourite Housemate via Mzansi Magic website HERE and the Mzansi Magic mobile site by selecting contestants of your choice and entering your number of Votes and click VOTE . Voting via these platforms is limited to 100 votes per user. You can also download the MyDStv app from the iStore for Apple devices or Play Store for android devices for additional Votes. Votes are free and Votes are allocated based on your subscription packages. The Voting window closes by 22:00 on Thursday. (CAT) Big Brother Mzansi season 3 is broadcast live 24/7 on DStv Channel 198, you can stream it here. There is a daily highlight show on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161), Tuesdays to Fridays starting 25 January 2022 at 22.30. Sunday Eviction Shows begin on 30 January at 18:00 and will be broadcast on Mzansi Magic. This season will also see the return of fan favourite Shower Hour (22:00, Mondays to Thursdays on channel 161), Saturday Night Parties with Channel O and Friday night games. To join the conversation on social media platforms, use the hashtag #BBMzansi and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and TikTok ! Members of Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP), a youthful group of activists primarily made up of those born after the Genocide against the Tutsi, paid a visit to elderly survivors of the Genocide at a facility where they live in Bugesera District. The elderly survivors, known as 'Intwaza,' are vulnerable widows and widowers who live in well-run retirement facilities to avoid isolation and loneliness. The aim of the visit that took place last week on Friday, according to Naswiru Shema, the Executive Director of PLP,was for the to have a conversation with the elderly and have an understanding of the country's history. When they arrived at this rather lovely hostel, they youths anxiously rushed to the main hall, where a group of resilient old men and women awaited them after presenting proof of vaccination and negative Covid tests, as required by the measures. The excitement was palpable on both sides, but due to Covid-19 unfortunate culture, they were unable to exchange actual hugs, albeit they did so at a distance by simulating the action. The youth then proceeded to do various performances for the elderly. From traditional and modern dances to a variety of poetry citations. They all stood up to dance to various traditional music, unable to contain their joy any longer. The hall was filled with warmth, laughing, and fond memories. "Because of Covid-19, it had been a long time since we had visitors." Agnes Mukandanga, a genocide widow, remarked, "We sorely missed having young people willing to come and spend time with us, as we exchange the memories of our different times." "We are only a few days away from the memorial period, and your coming simply strengthens us," she concluded. "Most of the children we had would be your parents' age now." We appreciate you providing us with a glimpse of what it might be like to have our own grandchildren." The visit comes two weeks before Rwanda honors the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, for the 28th time, which claimed the lives of nearly a million innocent people. The commemoration places a special emphasis on young people. "Given how the youth were manipulated in so many ways during the tragedies," Shema explained, "we are leveraging our youthful strength, influence, and critical thinking to make a better difference." "We are extremely delighted to have such efforts from the youth," said Jacques Niyongabo, corporate services division manager at Bugesera district, who was present at the occasion. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Rwanda By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "This is a sign of a brighter Rwanda, one that is united and bettered." "Only gladly can the government contribute," he added. Following the various performances, time was set aside for tete-a-tete encounters between the elderly and PLP members. This lasted longer than other activities, and both parties were saddened by the separation. "Thank you for allowing us to spend this special time with you and for sharing your different experiences. We can't tell you that you're brave because you are. "However, we pledge to make a better generation," Shema remarked. There are a total of 66 'Intwaza' in Bugesera district, composed of nine men and 57 women. Two nurses, one psychologist, and various carers, including four cooks, five cleaners, and two persons in charge of logistics and coordination, look after them. They are kept occupied by studying various craft skills, doing some workouts, going for walks outside the hostel, and watching TV and listening to the radio. There are three more Intwaza Impinganzima, names of their hostels in Nyanza, Huye and Rusizi districts. They were formed by the initiative of the First Lady, AVEGA - Agahozo, Unity Club and other partners have been investing in providing them with shared shelter and the necessary support and care. Nairobi Leaders allied to Kenya Kwanza Alliance have pledged to relocate operations of the port of Mombasa from Naivasha. The leaders and local politicians from the coast accused the government of neglecting the economic needs of Mombasa residents. They said it was irresponsible for the Government to relocate the port of Mombasa to Naivasha rendering locals jobless. They spoke in Mombasa in the company of Deputy President William Ruto. They were Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya MPs Aisha Jumwa (Malindi), Kindiki Kithure (Tharaka Nithi), Kimani Ichungwa (Kikuyu), Mohammed Ali (Nyali),Feisal Bader (Msambweni), David Sankok (nominated) former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar and former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama. Kindiki assured Mombasa residents that the Kenya Kwanza administration will revive their economy by bringing back the port to Mombasa. He said: "We will return the port from someone's land in Naivasha back to Mombasa." Ali said restoring the port's full operations in Mombasa will help restore the deteriorating economy of the coast. "The people of the coast want their port back, they are not interested in empty political rhetoric," he stated. Jumwa said coastal leaders will work with like-minded leaders committed to addressing the needs of coast residents citing the relocation of the port. On his part, Ruto has said wheeler-dealers have derailed the government's development agenda to advance their political interests. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Governance Trade By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The Deputy President said the use of public resources to fund political campaigns had denied Kenyans essential services. Ruto said he was disappointed by the move to divert funds meant for agriculture to fund Jubilee Party campaigns. "It is not possible that this week alone, when people are dying of hunger, Sh1 billion has been withdrawn to buy politicians back to Jubilee." Ruto said some of the leaders in Government were out of touch with reality on the ground and blind to challenges facing the people. "They do not know that Kenyans lack food that is why they are taking funds meant for agriculture and using it for campaigns." The Deputy President also pointed out the abandoning of the Big Four Agenda, which was meant to create jobs for Kenyans, as another programme that the government ought to have prioritized. Ichungwa said the government was losing huge sums of money meant for development to Jubilee Party political campaigns. The Kikuyu MP warned those misusing public funds to buy politicians that their efforts will end up being an exercise in futility. "You will buy politicians, but they cannot buy the people who are eager for change," he stated. Omar said it was time Kenyans ended the reign of three families that have dominated Kenyan politics. Nairobi President Uhuru Kenyatta is a man all out to revenge against his deputy William Ruto and it now seems he will be using all available political arsenals to achieve his mission. At stake in the revenge plot is the vote rich Mt Kenya which the head of state feels Ruto is trying snatch away from him by scheming to topple him in the region where he is perceived as kingpin. The meeting held at statehouse attended by 3,000 elders on Saturday will be the first onslaught in the mission to dilute the influence of Ruto in the central region. President Kenyatta has been faulted for living the region exposed and allowing his deputy to permeate freely with the detrimental effect being the radicalization of the youth against the dyansties. "Watch this pace, in the next few months, Mt Kenya region will not be the same. We are going to the grassroot to ensure our people understand who this man really is. You cannot go to someone's home when he is not around and talk bad of about the husband to the wife and the children," a highly placed source told Capital FM. While Kenyatta is expected to set aside government responsibility and go all out to campaign for his preferred successor Raila Odinga, the central Kenya leaders will pave the way for him ahead of the rigorous campaign. "Our task moving forward is to divulge the information to our people on why Raila Odinga is the best option for our people. We will not allow leaders who sell the message of hatred against our own leaders to gain space in our region. We have been guided we tell our women and youth at the grassroot on which route is best for us," an elder who attended the meeting said. In a few weeks, President Kenyatta will arrange a meeting with women leaders in all Mt Kenya region as a tactic to ensure the region is solely united behind him. With a majority of voters in the country being the women electorate, the meeting is set to ensure that no group is left behind in the mission to catapult Odinga's presidential bid. The Jubilee party leader bashed Ruto and his allies for engaging in hatred politics and going the extra mile to insult his own mother Ngina Kenyatta in the name of politics. "Where did our moral go? What is he teaching our women and youth on the issue of respecting our parents. We will not allow this, we haven't his allies insult people from the Rift valley region," Kenyatta was quoted saying. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. In the elders meeting, Kenyatta painted Ruto as bad leader not only for the region but the whole nation and it was opportune time for the community to know which communities they will unite with moving forward. "He has (Ruto) been spending day and night in the Mt Kenya region while we have been busy working as the Jubilee government.As we are busy delivering our promises,his work has been to incite the region by giving them wheelbarrows.In a few months,those gains he perceives to have will be no more,"the source said. The meeting of elders being one of the strategies to win the regional support on Azimio la Umoja movement and ensure Jubilee party win support of the region by scuttling the influence of United Democratic Alliance. The first meeting by Kenyatta to brush aside Ruto was the Sagana III Convention, which labelled his deputy as unfit for office and endorsed Odinga as his preferred successor. Ruto has been talking out of both sides of his mouth. On one end he has taken credit for the Jubilee projects especially infrastructure on the other he has played the politics of grievance around an increasingly weak economic situation. Viewers are in for over seven hours of unnecessary drama, fake friendships, predictable betrayals, and outbursts that serve zero purposes Creators: Peace Hyde and Martin Asare Amankwa Cast: Annie Macaulay-Idibia, Diamond Platnumz, Jeremiah Ogbodo, Zari Hassan, 2Baba, Nadia Nakai, Khanyi Mbau, and Naked DJ. Year of release: March 18, 2022 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa On March 18, a global sensation was born. After a few teasers and a trailer, Netflix finally released its first original African reality series, "Young, Famous, and African." The series has been well-received. The reviews have broken the internet while the cast members like Annie Macaulay-Idibia and Swanky Jerry have dominated Twitter's trending list in Nigeria. Accurately depicting its title, the series follows the lives of nine successful Africans from different countries. "Young, Famous, and African" is the perfect example of what happens when you bring different African celebrities together. For over seven hours, viewers have to watch unnecessary drama, fake friendships, predictable betrayals, and outbursts that served zero purposes. Meet the Cast! Khanyi Mabu (South Africa)- She is often referred to as a "gold digger" by online trolls; she is a strong woman who graduated from being a sugar baby to being a cougar when she began dating a 28-year-old man. She is a proud recipient of the award for being the only woman who wakes up in the morning with a face full of make-up. However, she can sometimes be a sneaky backstabber who initially tries to bring you down then suddenly becomes your friend. Anne Macaulay-Idibia (Nigeria): She claims to have acted in 200 movies and 15-16 series and doesn't like to be referred to as just 2baba's wife. Also, she has unresolved issues with her husband, causing her to mistake stalking for "checking on my property." Nadia Nakai (South Africa) A famous South African rapper who, for some reason, isn't always around when the drama happens but knows every detail. Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania): He is a musician whose definition of someone understanding him is through material things. He is a self-proclaimed hunter and a player who is unsure about the number of kids. Quinton Masina (South Africa)- AKA, the Naked DJ, is an unromantic disc jockey/sugar daddy who changes sides faster than Swanky Jerry's outfits. Kayleigh Schwark (South Africa) A fitness enthusiast who can't help but discuss problems in her relationship with her friends and a newly introduced stranger, Annie. Swanky Jerry (Nigeria) He is the stylist to the stars and the most dramatic of them all (in terms of outfits ). He sees himself as the mediator destined to ensure peace in his circle while wearing sunglasses. Andile Ncube (South Africa) He looks like the typical boy next door and a perfect gentleman but is ready to betray a friend because of a "connection." He is an expert at giving relationship advice, even though he has two baby mamas. Zari Hassan (South Africa)- She is the boss lady and professional businesswoman. She was known for being Diamond's ex-wife and causing drama. THE TEA (PLOT) Now that you have met the characters, let's dive into the series. The seven-part series, as stated earlier, revolves around nine celebrities from different African countries. It shows their personal lives, exploring the friendship between them, the challenges they face, and the betrayals they suffer. The series begins with an exciting monologue from Khanyi, who, at that moment, asserts her role as the protagonist (AKA, leader of the group). We are then introduced to Swanky and Annie, who are super excited about being in South Africa as they pop a bottle of champagne. The rest of the squad are also introduced and are seen preparing for an extravagant ball organised by Khanyi. However, Annie almost ruins the night when she calls out the hostess, Khanyi, for her parenting skills while Diamond flirts with Nadia. The first episode is almost like a blur, but the second episode is where the real drama begins. During an Arabian-themed night party, Zari, Diamond's ex-wife, shows up, making Nadia angry and Annie insecure. Following the events of the Arabian Nights, at a tea party, Annie and Nadia confront Zari, with the former accusing her of making crude remarks and the latter disappointed with how she flirted with Diamond. Suddenly, 2baba shows up in town and surprises Annie by asking her to renew their vows. So, in celebrating their forthcoming second marriage, Annie throws a party. Zari feels that the party is the best moment to "clear the air" about Annie's misconception regarding her and 2baba. Also, Andile begins to flirt with Zari, gaining the group's disapproval. When Annie decides to confront Zari regarding what she told 2baba at their engagement party, all hell breaks loose, causing bad blood between the two women. Nadia returns to town and is briefed on what happened. Then, Andile takes his flirting to the next level by inviting Zari on a date, while Kanyi speaks to 2baba about Annie's unresolved issues. Efforts to mend the failing relationship between Naked DJ and Kayleigh prove futile, along with Swanky's attempt to make Annie and Zari become friends. Zari organises a fun getaway on a train that turns bitter when tension rises, and the group gets divided. After the fallout, the gang reunites to celebrate the night before Annie and 2baba's marriage. While the girls enjoyed a spa treatment in a hotel room, Nadia, who wasn't around when the blue train drama went down, decided to confirm the information Khanyi told her. Long story short, Zari got disinvited from Annie's wedding. The final episode ends with Annie walking down the aisle and exchanging beautiful vows with 2baba. After that, everyone settled their disputes and lived happily ever after. I was just kidding. Since Zari was not at the wedding, Andile thought it would be romantic to check up on her at home. Imagine his surprise when he got there and realised Diamond was back. Unfortunately, the credits rolled in as things were about to get messy, leaving us on a cliffhanger. The Breakdown: The Good Kudos to the producers and cast for showing a new angle to the portrayal of Africans on a global media platform like Netflix. A fascinating feature of this series is the honest conversations regarding issues like infidelity, lousy parenting, and love among the cast members. These celebrities were not afraid to reveal their vulnerability and strong opinions throughout the episodes. The incredible cinematography is also something that makes the series stand out. And the beautiful setting around each scene is bound to live rent-free in the minds of many viewers. Another notable feature is the growth of these characters. For example, we see Annie and Khanyi, who fell out in the first episode, reconcile and become best friends. Quinton and Kayleigh also transition from sweeping their feelings under the rug to proper communication. It would be a crime not to appreciate the 100% fashion reality delivered in this series. So, where do we even begin? From Khanyi's jaw-dropping outfits to Swanky's dramatic accessories, every scene felt like a runway collection from Paris Fashion Week. A precious lesson learned from this series is the importance of being surrounded by people who not only love you but support you. The bad The series is an unrealistic representation of friendship. The producers fail to provide a logical explanation for the friendship of the lead cast. Furthermore, they are young, African, and famous;this makes us question the foundation of their friendship. The reality series also falls short in portraying the authentic lives of the cast through storytelling. Excluding Annie, we (non-South-Africans) don't know much about the other cast members. It would have been appropriate to relate to these characters if there was a backstory to who these people were before they became famous. Another flaw in this reality series is the unnecessary drama. Every dramatic scene screams fake, with the cast members going overboard when calling each other out. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Entertainment By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. And don't get us started on the outburst Swanky had on the blue train that had him screaming his lungs out for no solid reason. Watching the series might make you ask, "Do these people have other friends?" We don't see the cast interact with people outside of their circle throughout the series. Even at events they organise, for people who claim to have many celebrity friends, they are the only ones who attend with a couple of extras in the background, making the scenes look staged. Lastly, the sunglasses are too much (especially for a Nigerian stylist). We get that the sun might be hot outside, but being indoors is not a good excuse to wear a pair of glasses. Iconic moments When Khanyi clapped back at Annie when accused of being a bad parent. Andile has his two baby mamas and love interest, Zari, at the same event. Annie was licking 2baba's head. Annie being a total diva by complaining about the food served at Khanyi's party. Swanky's outburst on the blue train Zari reporting Annie to her husband. Swanky attempting to guide Andile during a driving course. Annie and Zari's exchange over "Lunch." 2baba and Annie's vow renewal ceremony Diamond catching Andile at his ex and baby mama's house. The heartwarming moment, Annie and Khanyi cemented their friendship. Nadia showing up a few days after the drama went down. Everything that happened on the blue train episode. Final verdict. 8/10 Watch it. Though it has several flaws, the reality series is one-of-a-kind and will leave you wanting more. Young, Famous, and African series is showing on Netflix. "At this rate, I have said if anyone is looking at a criminal enterprise, look no further than the fuel subsidy," the minister said. Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has described the Nigerian government's controversial subsidy regime as "a criminal enterprise." Mr Sylva, who lamented the controversies surrounding the amount of petrol that the nation consumes daily, said the subsidy regime encourages criminal activities like smuggling which in turn impact negatively on the nation's oil resources. According to Punch newspaper, the minister said this in an interview with his media team, led by his Senior Adviser, Media and Communications, Horatius Egua. "I have said this publicly before that I don't know the figure," he said of the opacity surrounding Nigeria's petrol consumption figures. "When I assumed office, initially I was told that our daily consumption was 66 million litres. "Then, when fuel prices increased from N145 to N162, the consumption figure temporarily fell to about 40 something million litres per day, because the arbitrage opportunity reduced. "Then the value of the naira dropped again, and the number went up again to over 60 million litres. I am told the figure sometimes rise to as high as 90 or over 100 million litres. I don't know how that happens. "At this rate, I have said if anyone is looking at a criminal enterprise, look no further than the fuel subsidy." The minister said that on the basis of these revelations, he has intensified his advocacy for deregulation and ultimate removal of fuel subsidy from the country's PMS pricing template. 'Unknown' Consumption Figures In recent years, experts have said that Nigeria's inability to account for the amount of petrol it consumes daily was due to the continued smuggling of PMS through its porous land borders. In 2019, Nigeria shut its land borders as part of government's sustained efforts to check smuggling and other illicit cross-border activities. Despite the closure of the land borders, reports showed that smuggling was still rampant across the nation's borders. In December 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the immediate reopening of the major land borders in Seme in the South-west part of the country, Ilela in the North-west, Maitagari in the North-west, and Mfun in the South-south. Mr Sylva said that as of today, the nation cannot still tell the exact volume of petrol it consumes on a daily basis. Speaking in reaction to the N3 trillion fuel subsidy proposal by NNPC, he said: "I would have preferred that this question be directed to the NNPC. "I have made my views known about this issue in the past. NNPC has agreed with me that they are not certain about the exact consumption figure." Mr Sylva argued that the country's petroleum products are smuggled out of the country, so neither the ministry nor the NNPC could give a definite figure. "It's more or less fueling a criminal economy. The NNPC imports the products, and nobody knows the exact destination of the products at the end of the day," he lamented. "The imported products come to Nigeria, and from there filters out of our borders to neighbouring countries. "So, as a country, we cannot tell the exact volume of petroleum products that we consume on a daily basis. All we have been doing is to assume the level of consumption over a period and work with that." Mr Sylva said that Mr Buhari had done "everything" to resolve the issues, including the closure of the country's borders with neighbouring countries, yet the criminality was not stopped. "The truth is that what the President could do was to close the 'formal' borders. What about the illegal routes?," Mr Sylva quipped. Scarcity Fuel scarcity worsened across Nigeria in recent weeks despite repeated assurances from the government that the crisis would not linger for too long. The scarcity and its attendant chaos were initially said to be as a result of an off-spec product imported into the country, which reportedly damaged vehicles and generating sets. As the NNPC and regulatory authorities struggled to put the situation under control, queues persisted in Abuja, Lagos and several other cities for weeks as people scrambled to get petrol for their cars and their electricity generators at a time of rising temperatures. The crisis, which 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. Way Out? Relative normalcy has since returned to filling stations in places like Lagos, but residents of Abuja have barely experienced any sense of relief. In other cities like Ibadan, Osogbo and parts of the South-east, petrol stations have continued to sell at different prices ranging from N170 to N210. As a result of these developments, although the government has maintained that the recent crisis was due to the ripple effect of the importation of off-spec petrol, some Nigerians on the streets and across social media platforms claim that the chaos was "orchestrated" as a means of removing the subsidy component of fuel prices. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs Petroleum By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The subsidy debate is one of Nigeria's most polarising public discussions. Earlier in the year, Mr Buhari suspended the government's plan to remove subsidies on petrol. In January 2012, protests erupted across the country when the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan introduced the idea of removing petrol subsidy. While the government and other policy experts argue that subsidy is not sustainable and should be removed, civil society organisations and labour unions have always stood against the move. Mr Sylva argued that if the subsidy component of the oil pricing template is taken out through deregulation, smuggling of PMS to neighbouring countries would cease. "Of course, we need the market from there. But now we are punishing ourselves because every litre we import at our expense will always find its way outside the country," he said. "Now, the government is trying to subsidise our citizens so that our people will at least get the benefit of the subsidy on petroleum products. But, now because of how our borders are, it is very difficult. Now, we are inadvertently subsidising the whole of Africa. This is the thing we cannot handle." Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike, has declared his intention to contest for president of Nigeria in the 2023 election. "I will be running for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria." Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike, has declared his intention to contest for president of Nigeria in the 2023 election. Mr Wike reportedly disclosed this while visiting his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom, in Government House, Makurdi, on Sunday. The governor's declaration is also posted on his Facebook page. "I will be running for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," Mr Wike said on Facebook, on Sunday. Mr Wike was quoted by Channels Television to have said that he is the one with the capacity to remove the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from power at the federal level. "To remove APC from power, I'm the person who can tell them enough is enough. We must take this power and I'm ready to take it for the PDP. God is with us that's why APC keeps failing every day. "I'm declaring it for the first time in Benue (State). I'm going to run for election," he said. The Commissioner for Information in Rivers State, Paulinus Nsirim, did not respond to calls and text messages seeking comments from him. Mr Wike's declaration is coming after several months of speculation about his presidential ambition. During Mr Wike's recent feud with Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, the latter accused him of causing trouble in the PDP because of his presidential ambition. "No one is against his desire to run for president, however, his ambition should not be embarked on in such a way that it would cause disruption at different levels, such as the PDP Governors' Forum as well as different chapters of the party across the country," Mr Obaseki said of his feud with Mr Wike. Don't run for president, Wike - IYC President Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Peter Igbifa, last year, told PREMIUM TIMES he suspected Mr Wike would want to run for president in 2023. He had, however, advised him against nursing such ambition. "I will not advise him (Wike) to run for president (in 2023). He can break the jinx, but then I wouldn't want him to run for president. I would rather advise him to run for Senate. "When (Peter) Odili was a governor, he thought he had more friends. But the day his body language showed he wanted to go to the presidency, he discovered he had more enemies than friends. "Usually, the world does not always tolerate those who have resources to combine it with power, for the fear of the unknown," Mr Igbifa. Mr Wike is one of the most influential governors in Nigeria and very popular back home in Rivers because of his administration's infrastructural development in the oil-rich state, but his often controversial remarks and actions may become his greatest setback in his presidential ambition. President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, said the unity of purpose displayed by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at its national convention on Saturday was indicative of the party's promising success in the 2023 general election. Buhari congratulated the newly elected APC national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and the 79-member National Executive Committee (NEC) elected at the convention. But he blamed the media for reporting imaginary division within the ranks of the ruling party. Adamu, who emerged through a consensus arrangement, also took a swipe at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his acceptance speech, saying the opposition party is sad and disappointed at the success of the ruling party's national convention. He spoke yesterday after the new National Working Committee (NWC) of APC was sworn in. The new national chairman argued that PDP and other opposition elements had expected to make a political fortune from an anticipated crisis-ridden convention. He said the ruling party had fulfilled its covenant with Nigerians. The accusation came as Adamu's strongest rival and former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, also said the successful convention had put APC's enemies and naysayers to shame. Similarly, Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola said at the weekend that the successful outcome of Saturday's national convention of APC was proof that the party would remain in power beyond 2023. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Ou; his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, congratulated Adamu and other members of the new NWC as well as the zonal executives of APC on their election. But the PDP leadership, yesterday, mocked APC for allegedly imposing as its chairman a man arraigned in court on 149-count charge bordering on fraudulent award of contracts and stealing of public funds estimated at N15 billion. However, Buhari, in a release by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, stressed that the intraparty unity display during the convention had put the ruling party on a firmer footing for victory in the forthcoming general election. The president returned to the convention ground at Eagle Square, Saturday morning, along with the vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the senate president, to witness and celebrate the inauguration of the newly elected party executives. He said the smooth conduct of the election had raised the prospect of a mouth-watering APC victory next year. Buhari stated in the release, "The APC convention hosted this weekend sets the scene for an APC victory in the presidential and general elections next year. It is a victory over naysayers, who believed the party was divided but are now disappointed. "We believe that it is equally a victory for the president who has ensured unity across all party positions; and it is a victory for the voters of Nigeria, who can now be assured of a smooth succession to new leadership in 2023. "What the convention made clear was how the media has been peddling fake news of division, when the hard reality of unity, cohesion, and, indeed, personal warmth between members of the party's leaders - incoming and outgoing - was evident for all to see. "Of course, the blame for this mindset ought rightly to go to the opposition, who in all these years had done the work to only divide the country, leading to all manner of separatist agitations. But this is not the wish, nor is it in the character of the citizens, as was clear for everyone to see at the Eagle Square. "When their fake news of disunity was undone by the facts, some in the opposition could not help themselves but take to the newspapers and the airwaves to find another way to shore up their reputations. That some of the APC's new leadership were once in the opposition was the new line to take to the media, somehow suggesting that those who have left one party should not hold positions in another. Yet, do the Scriptures not teach us of the virtue of sinners who repent and change their ways? "What the Scriptures say less is of sinners who repent, change their tune, and then choose to re-sin in full public view by returning to their former ways. Given that most important leaders of the opposition PDP first left the party before they returned to it, we might expect the media to ensure criticism of them is damning and absolute. It is incredulous that anyone would consider them trustworthy or acceptable candidates for any public office. "The stage is now set for the APC primary elections later this year, when the party's new flag bearers will emerge. No doubt, some will attempt to argue the impossible - that an APC primary election is a source of division while an opposition primary election is a source of consensus. "But the good voters of Nigeria can see through such acrobatics and know the facts that, when the contests for 2023 come, APC offers a track record of success and leadership, while the opposition has only decades of failure and complicity in response." Speaking after he was sworn in, Adamu said, "As we conclude this very successful convention of our great party, I know that our opponents in PDP and other opposition parties are now sulking, wearing long faces of sadness, bewilderment and dismay. "They had been hoping and praying to make a fortune out of our misfortunes. They were also hoping and praying to capitalise on assumed failures of our party to reap political benefits." Adamu, who emerged through a consensus arrangement after all the other six contestants were prevailed upon to step down, pleaded with all aspirants to "show maturity and good sportsmanship and accept the outcome of this convention with grace." He stressed that even though they did not achieve their ambitions at the convention, a good number of them would still serve the party and the country in several other positions of responsibility. The APC national chairman said, "We are, however, satisfied that APC has fulfilled its covenant with the Nigerian people. Of the three main pillars of its promises to the Nigerian people in 2015, that is, security, economy and anti-corruption, much progress has been recorded in all three areas and many more. "APC is set to do much, much more when Nigerians continue to bestow on us their love, support and confidence in next year's general election." Adamu said no administration had the record of APC in the provision of critical infrastructure, which was hitherto considered impossible in the country. He listed such projects to include "the Second Niger Bridge, complete rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan dual carriageway, the Lagos-Ibadan express rail, the Abuja-Kaduna express light rail, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline... " Adamu took the oath of office and oath of allegiance at 12:22pm yesterday at an event witnessed by Buhari, Osinbajo, Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Attorney General the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubkar Malami, governors, and other members of the party. He called on all aggrieved members of APC to put their differences aside and work for the interest of the party. Adamu thanked the president and leaders of the party at all levels, as well as members of the party nationwide for electing them into offices of responsibility and promised to discharge his duty with diligence. He said while he acknowledged the onerous responsibility that had been placed on their shoulders as an executive, they would work hard to ensure that expectations were met and the party was not disappointed. To those, who lost in the contest, Adamu said, "I wish to also congratulate the great party men and women, who also aspired to occupy these national offices of our great party. They did not succeed this time but in God's time, many of them will yet realise their ambitions to serve our party and country in many other positions of responsibility. "As politicians, we are not strangers to gains, losses and disappointments with the outcome of every political contest. Let us show maturity and good sportsmanship and accept the outcome of this convention with grace. Our party needs all hands on the steering wheel so that together we can steer the ship of state through the inclement weather of our divisive national politics to the promised land." He charged APC members to renew their faith in the party and its leadership at all levels and remain patriotic. On reconciliation, he said, "We need to commit to the resolution of our crisis within the confines of our party constitution. We must resist the temptation to blow every minor personal disagreement into a major party crisis. It is time for us to do things differently. When we quarrel, we open our flanks to our rival political parties that are only too eager to exploit them for their own benefit. "I promise you here and now that we shall heal any wounds in our party; we shall effect lasting reconciliation among our members, and we shall go into the next general election as a strong and united party. I offer my hands of friendship to all our members. I want to assure you that my colleagues and myself will run an open-door policy to all members of the party. "Together, let us rise and march towards the sunrise in our party and in our country. The time has come for us to show statesmanship to arrive at the new dawn. The time has come for us to be patriotic in words and deeds. The time has come for us to affirm our being the party of the people, for the people and by the people." He urged the media to address the tone, content, and standard of reporting, appealing to them to take a cue from the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Malam Abubakar Imam, Alhaji Alade Odunewu and other media pioneers, who upheld "the patriotic spirit of the founding fathers of their profession." Adamu, a founding member of PDP, two-term PDP governor of Nasarawa State, and secretary, Board of Trustees of the PDP, before emerging senator under the PDP, defected to the APC at the twilight of the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2014. The new National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, was also a PDP senator for Osun East from 2003 to 2011. The list of politicians with PDP foundation in control at the APC NWC is long and include Festus Fuanter (Plateau State), Deputy National Secretary; Muazu Bawa Rjau (Niger State), National Vice Chairman, North-central; Mustapha Salihu (Adamawa State), National Vice Chairman, North-east; Barr Ahmed El-Marzuk (Katsina State), National Legal Adviser; Uguru Matthew Ofoka (Ebonyi State), National Treasurer; Senator Abubakar Maikafi (Bauchi State), National Auditor; Dr Betta Edu (Cross River State), National Women Leader; Barr F.N. Nwosu (Abia State), National Welfare Secretary; and Nze Chidi Duru (Anambra State), Deputy National Organising Secretary. Jigawa State Governor and chairman of the convention committee, Bello Matawalle, said, five positions were contested out of the 35 national officers and only few on the zonal level, out of the whole 78 positions. Almakura, Salihu Mustapha, Mohammed Etsu, Abdulaziz Yari, Sani Muhammed, and George Akume were the six chairmanship aspirants, who stepped down for Adamu after a consensus agreement was reached just hours before the convention proper. Al-Makura: We Disappointed Naysayers, Enemies Former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, said APC disappointed naysayers and put the enemies of the party to shame with the successful conduct of its national convention. Al-Makura, in a statement, congratulated Adamu, who emerged new national chairman of the party. The statement said, "In displaying our first-rate problem-solving, dispute resolution, and organisational aptitude through a rancour-free and smooth national convention, our party has, once again, disappointed the naysayers and put the enemies of the party to shame. "With the national convention done and dusted, I have no doubt that our great party is now well-repositioned and good to go into the 2023 elections with confidence, as I have no doubt that the new leadership has all it takes to navigate our party to victory in 2023 and beyond." Oyetola: Successful Outing is Proof We'll Remain in Power Beyond 2023 Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, at the weekend, said the successful outcome of Saturday's national convention of APC was proof that the party would remain in power beyond 2023. Oyetola was happy everything went well, despite negative expectations of pessimists He expressed confidence in the ability of the new National Secretary of the party and representative of Osun State in the National Working committee (NWC), Senator Iyiola Omisore, to deliver, even as he congratulated the party's National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. The Osun State governor, who said the peaceful conduct of the convention was a sign that the ruling party was united, formidable and remained indivisible, also held the view that Adamu would bring his wealth of experience to bear in the administration and management of the party's affairs. Oyetola, in a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, expressed confidence in the existing unity in APC. With this he said the party would remain in power beyond 2023, by the grace of God, and thanked Buhari for providing the right leadership. The governor stated, "First of all, I must thank our leaders in the South-west for their support for our own Senator Iyiola Omisore. This is a great thing for us in Osun APC and I must thank other contestants for conceding and accepting to withdraw from the race. "I commend them for the bold step, just as I assure them of our support in their time of need. I have no doubt in the capacity of Otunba Omisore to deliver and take our party to a greater level. "As you can see, the peaceful atmosphere here and the seamless conduct of the convention, is a testimony to the strong unity that exists in our party. It is an attestation to the fact that we have our ways of resolving issues without necessarily resorting to conflict. "Contrary to the negative expectations of some people, the convention went peacefully. The security operatives have done wonderfully well. I am really proud of what has happened today (Saturday). It is a sign that our party is united, formidable and remains indivisible. "In achieving all these, I must personally commend the leadership quality provided by President Muhammadu Buhari, who always advocates harmony and peace in the party. It is natural to have disagreement, but what is important is the ability to have a workable mechanism to resolve any crisis without necessarily resorting to rancour." Expressing in confidence in the ability of Omisore to deliver and contribute to the growth of the party through his new position, the governor said Omisore would deploy his political sagacity, leadership qualities and experience, which he acquired in public and private sectors, towards building a virile and healthy party at the centre. Sanwo-Olu Congratulates New Party Leadership Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, congratulated the newly elected national chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and other members of the NWC as well as zonal executives of the ruling party. Sanwo-Olu charged the Adamu-led NWC to work tirelessly with APC leaders and stakeholders to make the ruling party stronger for it to retain power in 2023 at the federal level and win more states in addition to the 22 states currently governed by the party. The governor commended Buhari for his fatherly and leadership role in ensuring that that APC national and zonal executives emerged through a consensus arrangement. He noted that many aspirants, especially, the national chairmanship aspirants, stepped down, because of the respect they had for Buhari and other leaders of the party. Sanwo-Olu, who was excited with the outcome of the convention, also commended the aspirants, who voluntarily stepped down for members of the NWC and zonal executives at the six geo-political zones to emerge through a consensus arrangement. Sanwo-Olu, who was Chairman, Finance Committee for the APC National Convention, praised over 7,000 delegates from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, for participating in the convention. He also congratulated the representatives of Lagos State in the National Working Committee (NWC), Mr. Dayo Israel, who was elected APC National Youth Leader as well as former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, who emerged South-west Zonal Organising Secretary. The governor implored the new executives to work hard with APC national, zonal and state executives, as well as party leaders and members for victory of the ruling party in Lagos State, South-west and Nigeria, at large, during the 2023 general election. Fayemi Rejoices With Adamu, Others, Lauds Buni on Successful Tenure Ekiti State Governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors' Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi, congratulated the newly elected national executives of APC under the chairmanship of former Nassarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on their emergence at the party's just concluded national convention. Fayemi lauded the APC national caretaker committee headed by Yobe State Governor, Mai Malla Buni, for organising a successful national convention aimed at strengthening the party ahead of the 2023 general election. In a statement shortly after the new executives were inaugurated, Fayemi said he was happy the party's convention held successfully, despite initial anxieties, divergent interests and opinions of members over what they considered the best way moving forward. He congratulated Adamu, the national Secretary, Omisore, and other elected NWC members, whose elections were ratified at the convention, and wished them success in the task of repositioning APC as the undisputable number one political party in the country with attendant electoral fortunes. He urged the new national officers to look beyond the various opposition expressed by individuals or groups to their aspirations ahead of the convention, saying it is normal in any democratic setting. He urged the new executives to hit the ground running by reaching out to aggrieved party members and running an inclusive administration. Lawan: Integrity, Experience Earned Adamu APC Chairmanship President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, while congratulating Abdullahi Adamu on his emergence as the new national chairman of APC, said integrity and experience earned him the position. Lawan, in a congratulatory message on Sunday, reiterated that Adamu's victory at the national convention was a testimony to the tremendous respect he enjoyed across the polity for his integrity, experience and leadership capacity. Lawan said, "I heartily congratulate His Excellency, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on his emergence as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the just concluded National Convention of our great party. "The unanimous affirmation of Senator Adamu's candidature at the convention is a testimony to the tremendous respect that he enjoys across the polity for his integrity, experience and leadership capacity. I share this common belief in his suitability for piloting the affairs of our great party from this very important juncture. "Senator Adamu's antecedents as a political leader and astute administrator show that our party has made a great choice in his election as our National Chairman." The senate president also congratulated other members of the newly inaugurated NWC and zonal officers of the party on their elections and urged them all to do their best to deliver their mandates and live up to the great expectations of the teeming members of APC across and outside of Nigeria. The senate president said the people of Yobe State were extremely proud of Buni for his achievements while he was chairman of the CECPC of the APC. Gbajabiamila: We Remain One Big Family Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, said the way things turned out at the convention were proof the party remained one big family. Gbajabiamila said this while congratulating Adamu on his emergence as chairman at the party's national convention on Saturday. Gbajabiamila also congratulated other elected members of the party's NWC, such as Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Abubakar Kyari; Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu; National Secretary, Otunba Iyiola Omisore and the six vice chairmen, among others. The Speaker, in a congratulatory message, reiterated that Adamu's emergence through a consensus arrangement proved that APC was one big family, where its members resolved their differences amicably. He, however, tasked the new chairman and the other members of the NWC to put heads together to transform the party ahead of the 2023 general elections, He expressed optimism in the ability of Adamu and his NWC members to rally round APC members and other Nigerians to take the party to victory. Yahaya Excited over Convention Outcome, Hails Buhari Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, expressed excitement over the outcome of the party's national convention, which elected former Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Adamu, as National Chairman. Yahaya also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for provided the much-needed leadership. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. In a statement issued by his Director General, Press Affairs, Ismaila Uba Misilli, the governor also felicitated with other national and zonal officers of the APC, who were elected. Inuwa, particularly, praised the leadership, direction, and guidance of Buhari, which, he said, facilitated the consensus arrangement that produced the leaders of APC. The statement said, "The maturity displayed at the convention has demonstrated the spirit of unity of purpose and strong will of our members as well as indivisiblity of the force of our great party. "Special appreciation must go to our leader and amiable President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for providing leadership and guidance that saw to the successful and rancour-free conduct of the convention. The governor also praised the caretaker/extraordinary national convention planning committee, headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, for successfully superintending over the affairs of APC within the period of its stewardship and for strengthening unity, understanding and camaraderie among party faithful. We're Equal to the Task, Says Ganduje Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje said the party had the necessary capability to succeed in the conduct of its national convention. In a statement yesterday, Ganduje said the exercise had made the party more united and stronger. "And we are sure we are equal to the task. It is also a great success if you look at the procedures followed in order to come up with this exercise. I know you are aware that President Muhammadu Buhari has advised us to go on consensus," Ganduje said. To effectively comply with Buhari's advice, the governor said, "We undertook a lot of consensus in this exercise." He explained that in areas where consensus did not work, they had to go into election with all the proper procedures for election. "You can see that they have counted votes and some announcements were made. Winners have already emerged as winners," he said. Ganduje appreciated that at the end of the exercise, "We have come up with a new brand of leadership." Your Chairman is Battling Alleged Corruption, Opposition Mocks PDP, yesterday, mocked APC over its choice of Abdullahi Adamu as national chairman, saying he is battling corruption allegation. The opposition party said Adamu had been arraigned in court on a 149-count charge of alleged fraudulent award of contracts and stealing of public funds estimated at N15 billion. PDP described the APC event as a convention of lies, celebration of illegality, corruption and arrogance in failure, adding that any leadership birthed through such process can only be overtly corrupt, debauch and illegal. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, PDP said it was clear that with the combination of the corrupt, deceitful and rudderless Buhari-led APC government and the illegitimate Adamu-led party leadership, corruption, economic hardship and rudderless movement in the APC government would worsen in the country in the remaining one year of the APC in government. PDP said the composition of the APC national leadership was a clear confirmation that Buhari had never been committed to the fight against corruption as well as his willingness to further open the national vaults to ravenous treasury looters in APC. It challenged members of the APC national leadership, particularly, Adamu, to come clean on corruption charges against them. PDP stated, "The new APC chairman should inform Nigerians why he was not courageous enough to submit himself to trial at the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State, rather than hide under technicalities. Senator Adamu should, therefore, come clean to Nigerians on the said case before parading himself as a saint. "It is, therefore, pathetic to see Senator Adamu showboating on stage to impress his puppet master by attempting to denigrate other Nigerians and our great party, the PDP. "Our party has only pity for Senator Adamu and does not intend to confer him an undue relevance with a response. Senator Adamu should, however, be conscious of the fact that time does not run against the state in criminal matters. He should, therefore, not have any illusion that being an APC chairman will avail him a perpetual cover. "It was appalling to see APC leaders come out one after the other at their national jamboree to spew out lies and false performance claims on the economy, infrastructure and security even in the face of biting economic hardship, high cost of living, excruciating fuel emergency, lingering crisis in the education sector and escalated insecurity that was happening real time and simultaneously when the ridiculous claims of achievement were being made. "Is it not shameful that while APC leaders were lying on stage in Abuja, terrorists were busy attacking the Kaduna International Airport, located in an APC-controlled state?" The PDP, however, restated its cautions that the APC NWC did not have the legitimacy of office as the process that produced it under the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) remained unconstitutional and flawed. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday criticised the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for Saturday's invasion of the Kaduna International Airport by bandits. PDP said the development was a clear confirmation that the command and control structure of the country's security under Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) had collapsed. The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives equally expressed shock at the brazen invasion and takeover of the airport by terrorists. The caucus, in a statement by its leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, called for urgent and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to what it called an apparent compromise of security at the airport, which paved way for the breach. The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the alarming invasion of the airport by terrorists at a time outlaws, kidnappers, and marauders had taken over the highways and railways heightened security concerns and fears that nowhere was safe in the country under APC. According to PDP, "The refusal and failure of Buhari and the APC to take action on the airport attack but continued to jamboree in Abuja in the name of a national convention reveal and confirm that the Buhari administration has conceded sovereignty over parts of the country to terrorists." The main opposition party said Buhari's nonchalant disposition to the grave security challenge was an indication that his administration was "unable, unwilling and or complicit in this particular attack as well as various other acts of terrorism in the country." PDP stated that it was "indefensibly suspicious that while an international airport in the country was under attack by over 200 terrorists, with many Nigerians being held hostage and traumatised, President Buhari and the APC continued in their carnival in Abuja without acknowledging or expressing concern." It wondered, "Is this not a case of 'Buhari fiddles while Nigeria burns?'" The party also said, "The APC government has failed, become numb to violence against our citizens, and can no longer perform its primary duty under Section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which provides that 'security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.'" The party argued that Buhari's failure to address the Kaduna airport attack was consistent with his characteristic abdication of duty at critical times, recalling how in January, the president cancelled his scheduled visit to Zamfara State, a state it claimed was daily traumatised by terrorists. PDP alleged, "By that action, Mr. President allowed shared sovereignty with terrorists over a part of the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This acquiesce emboldened the terrorists to now expand their control to the international airport in Kaduna, ostensibly with the possibility of using it to import arms and ammunition as well as coordinate terrorist activities in our country. "One of the main features or determinants of sovereignty is the ability of an authority to impose taxes, enforce collection, control commercial activities as well as exit and entry points, including airports. "Under President Buhari, terrorists have established sovereignty in substantial parts of the country, especially in the North-west and North-east regions, where terrorists execute laws and impose penalties, collect taxes, control commercial and transportation activities and now take control of an international airport with grave negative consequences to our national image in the world. "Our country has never had it this bad with such a weak, uncoordinated, and clueless president with an inhumane, visionless and propaganda-driven political party like the APC." PDP stressed that Nigerians should rally round its members in their mission "to rescue the nation from the precipice and restore the unity and security of her people." On its part, Afenifere stated that the airport invasion by suspected terrorists was another indication of the deteriorating security situation in the country. Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi, frowned on the incident, which happened on the very day the ruling APC was holding its national convention in Abuja. It warned that some people seemed to be bent on re-enacting the Afghanistan situation in Nigeria. The group called on all those who believed in freedom, peaceful co-existence, personal liberty, true knowledge, and progress to rise up and ensure people who should act acted promptly. Afenifere listed some security infractions that took place between Friday and Saturday in parts of the country and regretted that it was as though the country was at war, especially, in those areas where the unfortunate incidents occurred. Among the incidents cited by the Yoruba group were the sacking of communities in Kaduna, Niger, and Enugu states by terrorist, leading to loss of lives, burning down of property, and forceful takeover of people's possessions. According to Afenifere, "It is a matter of serious concern that these security infractions happened at a time that government kept assuring us that it was on top of the situation. Some of these attacks by terrorists even occurred in broad daylight, that of Kaduna airport and that of Enugu, for instance." It asserted that for terrorists to have the audacity to attack an airport, despite all the available security apparatus, meant there was hardly anywhere safe in the country. Afenifere maintained, "The federal government should immediately allow states to set up their own police forces, empower the existing security agencies, and stop treating terrorists with kid gloves. These must be done immediately so that Nigeria does not go the Afghanistan way." The House Minority Caucus called for an urgent investigation to discover the remote and immediate circumstances leading to the security breach at the Kaduna airport. The lawmakers said the horrific development was another frightening commentary on the apparent collapse of national security and intelligence gathering coordination under the APC administration. The statement said, "The Minority Caucus is deeply concerned and alarmed by the manifest lack of capacity by the APC administration to secure our nation to the extent that a strategic international airport in our country could be invaded and taken over by terrorists. Airports, especially international airports across the world, are usually highly secured areas. Therefore, the circumstances that allowed for the invasion of the Kaduna International Airport speak volumes about the failure of the APC administration. "The attack on the airport at the time when our roads, railways and communities are being overrun by bandits, kidnappers and invaders has heightened fear across the country as well as sent a very worrisome signal to the international community regarding the safety of our airports and the worsening insecurity in Nigeria. "Our caucus urges the federal government to immediately beef up security in all our airports and other public convergence facilities in our country so as to forestall a re-occurrence of such terrifying attack." Kayode Tokede A total of 10 commercial banks that have so far released their full year 2021 financial results reported N39.4 trillion as customers' deposits, which was an increase of 17.6 per cent compared with the N33.47 trillion reported in 2020, amid the sustained battle for customers between the banks and financial technology (fintech) customers. The figures were compiled by THISDAY, from the 2021 full year results of the banks submitted to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX). The banks considered were those that have so far released their financial results. The Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Access Bank, Zenith Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), and Guaranty Trust Holding Plc were major tier-1 banks that contributed to the N39.4trillion customers deposit in the year under review. On the other hand, the tier-2 banks included Fidelity Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, FCMB group, Sterling Bank Plc and Wema Bank Plc. Data gathered from the banks' results revealed that ETI, a pan-African bank, led others in term of customer deposits in the year under review, given its banking operations in 13 African countries. Precisely, while ETI grew its deposits from customers by 13 per cent to N8.28 trillion in 2021, up from N7.32 trillion in 2020, Access Bank's deposit from customers increased by 24.5 per cent to N6.95 trillion in 2021, higher than the N5.59 trillion the bank reported in 2020. As gathered from its 2021 financial statement, Zenith Bank reported 21 per cent increase in deposit from customers to N6.47 trillion, from N5.34 trillion in 2020, while UBA grew its customers' deposits by 12.2 per cent to N6.4 trillion in 2021, from N5.68 trillion in 2020 and GTCO's customers deposit rose by 14.3 per cent to N4 trillion in 2021, from N3.51trillion in 2020. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. For Fidelity Bank, the financial institution led the league of tier-2 banks in terms of customers' deposits in the 2021 financial year, reporting N2.02 trillion in the year under review, from N1.69 trillion in 2020. It was followed by Stanbic IBTC Holdings which reported N1.56 trillion customers deposit in 2021, up from N1.33 trillion in 2020; while the FCMB Group grew its customers' deposit by 24 per cent to N1.56 trillion in 2021, up from N1.26 trillion in 2020. In addition, Sterling Bank reported 27.1 per cent growth in customer deposits to N1.21 trillion in 2021, up from N950.8 billion in 2020, as Wema Bank reported N927 billion in 2021 from N804.87 billion in 2020. Analysts noted that the granting of payment service bank (PSB) license to some telcos was going to create an aggressive market in term of customer deposits. Similarly, commercial banks are facing severe competition in terms of customer deposits with the continuous expansion by fintechs such as Flutterwave, Paystack, PiggyVest, Kuda, among others. To the Vice President, Highcap Securities Limited, David Adnori, banks are going to be more aggressive in winning customers with mouthwatering promo, adding that the economy stands to benefit as more people would join the financial inclusion objective of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Also, finance expert, Mr. Rotimi Fakayejo said the double-digit growth in customer deposits by banks revealed that more people needed to be engaged in savings. According to him, "Fintechs have tremendous advantages over banks. They are mostly tailored to meet the needs of the younger demographic, and they have had a lot of media buzz that has for the most part trended positively in their favour. "Their main strength revolves around the innovations that are closely associated with their brands. But, it's highly unlikely that Fintech startups will replace commercial banks any time soon, for a number of reasons." Edgar Tougouma, the District Governor of Rotary International in Central Africa, has been for the past ten days on an official visit to Rwanda, where he recently chartered two new Rotary Clubs. He heads district 9150 which consists of 100 clubs from ten African countries, including Rwanda. During his time in Rwanda, he met different senior government officials, including ministers with whom they discussed different humanitarian activities carried out by rotarians. He also visited and interacted with Rotary Members across the country, mainly Musanze, Rubavu, and others. "We intend to establish at least one club in each of the country's districts. In this way, it will be easier for a club to monitor and meet the demand of its immediate community," said Tougouma. He continued; "While we are proud of how far we have come, we want to remind the youth that their contribution is even more needed as they are the future leaders that the world will count on to make a difference." There is Rotaract for university students and Interact for high school students under the Rotary Club. AQccording to the District Governor, "the purpose is to instill in them a sense of responsibility for their community's problems, as well as a sense of leadership in taking the initiative to improve their communities." He also encouraged young people to cultivate the habit of solving problems for themselves without waiting for foreign aid. "That's the only legacy we'd like to leave," he continued, "we serve to set an example for the youth, who will step in when we are no longer able to bear the fight. It is critical that they comprehend that becoming a Rotarian entails working selflessly for common gain." This is his fourth visit to Rwanda, "I continue to find it to be an absolutely lovely country. It has progressed admirably, and I am proud to acknowledge that a significant portion of it was pioneered by fellow Rotarians," he shared. Rotarians' focus has been to end the polio epidemic in the region. In Rwanda and most of Africa, it has been a huge success. However, it is still present in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where cases have decreased as well. He said; "our programs have also been aimed at combating hunger, malaria, and other health-related challenges. Even if we haven't optimized it yet, local clubs are involved in efforts such as providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as growing local communities' economies." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Rwanda By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Rotary International focuses on Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention/Resolution, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Education and Literacy, Economic and Community Development, and Environmental Protection by bringing together international business and other professional leaders to perform humanitarian services around the world. It was started in 1905 by Paul Harris, whose legacy has since evolved into a $1,000 donation channel where fellows contribute or have $1,000 contributions made in their name. These contributions are subsequently used towards Rotary Foundation projects. Kigali Doyen, Rwanda's first Rotary Club, was created in 1966. Women were only allowed to join the movement in 1989, and they have since contributed to a variety of activities. "Whether you are a Rotarian or not, following the values of service is not only necessary but also rewarding. Tougouma stated, "Everyone's involvement, especially women and young people, is equally essential." Edgar Tougouma, the District Governor of Rotary International in Central Africa with other rotarians during his visit in Kigali on on March 24, 2022. The District Governor of Rotary International in Central Africa Edgar Tougouma,( C) addresses journalists during his visit in Kigali on on March 24, 2022. press release President Ramaphosa will this morning, Monday 28 March 2022, address the South Africa Day celebrations at the Expo 2020 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The President's Working Visit is at the invitation by the Host of the Expo 2020 Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. Expo 2020 Dubai has for the past six months since its premiere introduced participating countries, corporations, non -governmental organisations and educational institutions to a region of 3.2 billion people with an estimate accumulated gross domestic product of 6.5 trillion USD. The hosts have retained the title Expo 2020 Dubai after the event which was originally scheduled for 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme for Expo 2020 Dubai is "Connecting Minds and Creating the Future". Expo 2020 is the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region. Expo 2020 Dubai commenced in October 2021, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates. South Africa is among 192 countries that have established national pavilions at this global showcase of human ingenuity and innovation, national cultures and solutions to challenges confronting humanity. Held under the theme "Connecting Minds and Creating the Future via Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity", South Africa's participation to the Expo invites visitors to "Think Opportunity. Think South Africa." President Ramaphosa is accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Dr Naledi Pandor; Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Ms Thoko Didiza; Minister of Public Enterprises Mr Pravin Gordhan; Minister of Higher Education , Science and Innovation Dr Bonginkosi Nzimande, and the Minister of Trade , Industry and Competition Mr Ebrahim Patel. The details of the President's address and media programme of the South Africa Day Celebrations at the Expo 2020 is as follows: Address to the South Africa Day celebrations at Expo 2020 Dubai Date: 28 March 2022 Time: 10: 00 United Arab Emirates Standard Time 08:00 South Africa Standard Time Venue: Al Wasl Plaza, Expo 2020 Dubai Tour of South Africa Pavilion Date: 28 March 2022 Time: 11:00 United Arab Emirates Standard Time 09: 00 South Africa Standard Time Venue: South Africa Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai Tour of UAE Pavilion Date: 28 March 2022 Time: 11:30 Arab Emirates Standard Time 09:30 South Africa Standard Time Venue: UAE Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai Multichoice SMME Accelerator Activation Date: 28 March 2022 Time: 14:00 Arab Emirates Standard Time 12:00 South Africa Standard Time Venue: South Africa Pavilion Dome, Expo 2020 Dubai Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Business Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Town Hall Engagement with Media Date: 28 March 2022 Time: 15:00 Arab Emirates Standard Time 13:00 South Africa Standard Time Venue: South Africa Pavilion Dome, Expo 2020 Dubai Tour of the African Union Pavilion Date: 28 March 2022 Time: 16: 00 Arab Emirates Standard Time 14:00 South Africa Standard Time Venue: African Union Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai Tour of the Lekker Meat Shop Date : 28 March 2022 Time : 17: 00 Arab Emirates Standard Time 15:00 South Africa Standard Time Venue : Hypermarket , Expo 2020 Dubai analysis Following its invasion of Ukraine, countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) imposed comprehensive sanctions on Russia in a bid to cripple its ability to participate meaningfully in the global economy. These included exclusion from the Bank for International Settlements, including SWIFT which facilitates cross-border money transfers messaging. The wide-ranging sanctions could have serious implications for Africa. Importantly, they could affect the continent's ability to procure and maintain military hardware from Russia. Almost half of Africa's imports of military equipment (49%) come from Russia. These include major arms (battle tanks, warships, fighter aircraft and combat helicopters) and small arms (pistols and assault rifles such as the new Kalashnikov AK-200 series rifle). By comparison, China accounts for 13% of the continent's arms imports. The biggest buyers of armaments from Russia - and most long-standing importers - are Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco and Uganda. Egypt and Algeria are in the top ten list of major importers in the world. Egypt accounts for 5,8% of arms imports globally, and Algeria for 4,3%. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute yearbook 2021, the global arms trade in 2019 alone was estimated at US$118bn. Russia, along with the four largest exporters of major arms to the continent - the US France, Germany, and China - accounted for 76% of major arms exports between 2016-20. Russia commanded 20% of the market share in Africa, second only to the US (37%). France accounted for 8.2%, Germany 5.5% and China 5,2%. At 7,3% Africa is not a significant importer of major arms compared to Asia and Oceania (42%), Middle East (33%) and Europe (12%). Russia has capitalised its close ties with many African countries based on its historical links with the continent since the days of the Soviet Union. This has enabled it to negotiate arms deals with relative ease. In addition, its pricing structure and lack of political conditionalities, such as human rights sensitivities, make its arms sales attractive and affordable. Russia's suspension from global financial systems will disrupt these sales. This presents both risks and opportunities for the continent. The risks include insecurity of supply of essential spares, disruption of the operational and training plans for the defence forces that are using Russian equipment, and high cost of sustaining equipment already deployed in operations. But the prevailing situation also presents an opportunity for African countries to turn to their own defence industry capabilities to fill the gap. Implications for the defence industry The sanctions have a few practical defence industry implications for African countries. The first is that current orders of military hardware from Russia can no longer be fulfilled. The second is that repairing, maintaining or overhauling existing Russian-made hardware will be hard, if not impossible. This is because essential spares, tools and certification cannot be provided. Linked to this is the fact that specialists from the Original Equipment Manufacturers, which are the original designers, developers and manufacturers of the military equipment concerned, will not be able to fly from Russia to support the equipment. Third, contractual obligations, including financial and performance obligations, won't be able to be fulfilled. This implies that neither Russia nor African countries could be held liable for breaching contracts, as it is impossible to perform, even if they wanted to. Fourth, the void created by Russia's suspension from global trade will have to be filled by alternative suppliers. African countries will have to search for capable defence industry players that can conduct maintenance, repair and overhaul operations on their existing hardware. And there will also be arms suppliers making themselves available to African countries to help with new and existing hardware. In the past Russia has been astute in filling the void left by western countries. It did this in 2013 when the US cut off military aid and arms to Egypt after the military staged a coup. Suppliers such as Russia and France were happy to fill the gap. Similarly, in 2014 when the US cancelled a contract for fighter helicopters with Nigeria over human rights violations Russia stepped in to supply the country with Mi-35M fighter helicopters. Lastly, the disruption in the supply value chain due to the sanctions could facilitate and promote a huge black market in arms transfers. This may be difficult to reverse even after the end of Russia's war in Ukraine. As African countries cease to transact openly with Russia on defence hardware and services, the black market is likely to flourish. This would reverse the gains made by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs' Programme of Action and the African Union's strategy on illicit arms transfers. Many small and light weapons, such as the NATO-standard M16 and M4 assault rifles, sniper rifles, machine guns, and pistols, flooded the black market after the withdrawal of the US from Iraq and Afghanistan. There's a real danger of black market arms transactions, involving both state and non-state actors, becoming entrenched on the continent. What can be done? The demand for military hardware and services will continue despite the exit or suspension of Russia's participation. This presents an ideal opportunity for African countries to consolidate and align their defence industry capabilities for sustainability. Through collaboration, defence industry companies in Africa will be able to retain skilled workforces (engineers and technicians), invest in research and development and remain competitive in the global marketplace. Russian-made equipment can still be maintained and supported by indigenous African defence industry experts. Countries such as South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Algeria have credible local defence industries that, collectively, could manage to fill the void left by Russia. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Europe and Africa Arms and Armies By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. It may also be advisable to engage Russia, through diplomatic channels, for the transfer of maintenance contracts to African defence industry companies. For instance, there are at least 80 Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets in Algeria, Chad, Eritrea and Sudan, while Egypt has at least 46 of the upgraded variants of the same aircraft. These aircraft and other military hardware for the land and sea capabilities require reliable maintenance service providers, preferably located in Africa. Being members of the African Union, it will be much easier to address contractual challenges from within the continental body than when confronted by restrictions that may be imposed from outside the continent. The comprehensive sanctions imposed on Russia are likely to last beyond the current conflict. This implies that what may be regarded as 'interim measures' to fill a temporary void may end up being a long-lasting solution to Africa's desire to produce its own military hardware for its own use, and also to reduce reliance on external suppliers. African countries should therefore make a concerted effort to look towards defence companies on the continent for support. The African Union and South Africa, in particular, given its BRICS link, should play a central role in driving such a campaign. Moses B. Khanyile, Director: Centre for Military Studies, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University A high-level delegation from Rwanda's business community is in Harare to attend the second leg of the Rwanda-Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference which kicks off on Monday. The chairperson of Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF), Robert Bafakulera urged the Zimbabwean business community to take advantage of the conference to expand their businesses. "We are interested in agriculture, agro-processing, agri-business, mining, energy and trade. I would call upon our friends here in Zimbabwe to find some time so that we sit down, we network and form some partnerships," Bafakulera said. The CEO of the Rwanda Finance Limited, Nick Barigye, who is also in Harare for the conference, underscored the advantages of setting up businesses in Rwanda. "Zimbabwe has a strong financial sector, that financial sector needs to have a footprint in East Africa and the best entry point for them is in Rwanda using our finance centre called the Kigali International Finance Centre," said Barigye. "We are saying to investors in Zimbabwe if you want to do cross-border trading outside of Zimbabwe in other African countries...you can set up a holding structure with subsidiaries in Rwanda, Congo, Tanzania, and Kenya but for that structure to have an African footprint, you can work with the Kigali International Finance Centre. " Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa will grace the conference today [Monday]. The conference seeks to provide an interface between captains of industry and commerce, business people, those in SMEs as well as government officials from Rwanda and Zimbabwe to explore areas of mutual cooperation. Rwanda's delegation is led by the Minister of Trade and Industry Beatha Habyarimana. Zimbabwe's private sector says the engagements will open up export opportunities. Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Kurai Matsheza said: "Growth of exports within Africa is key and Rwanda is one such territory that Zimbabweans need to explore." Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce president Tinanshe Manzungu said: "In Zimbabwe, we are saying we are moving from the normal mode of working and apply the digital method of working in areas that include mining, construction, and agriculture. Such technologies are coming from our friends in Rwanda so we expect to see interactions among our people and those from Rwanda." Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Denford Mutashu said: "It is our fervent hope that there is going to be a lot of lessons to be learned by either side given the trajectory that is being taken by the country where there has been reindustrialization." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Trade Zimbabwe Rwanda By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. In September last year more than 100 business people and government officials from Zimbabwe attended the inaugural Rwanda Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference which was held in Kigali, Rwanda's capital. The conference was organized by AB Communications in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board and Zimtrade. Rwanda President Paul Kagame was the guest of honour at the Kigali conference. Zimtrade Chief Executive Officer, Allan Majuru, said the conference is part of the country's re-engagement and engagement thrust meant to integrate the economy to the rest of the globe. "We are very excited about the Zim-Rwanda investment conference, considering the economic benefits we are set to reap from the engagement as already the country has inked about US$2 million from last year's conference," Majuru said. Nairobi Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Leader Raila Odinga has pointed an accusing finger at Deputy President William Ruto for using public funds to campaign across the country. Odinga while campaign in Shinyalu, Kakamega in his day three tour in Western Kenya stated that Ruto should shun hypocrisy by claiming that money set aside for development had been diverted to fund his political campaign. "You have seen that Ruto has stolen your funds and he is giving you money in the name of donations to the youth and women... dishing out Sh5 million and Sh1 million. Every month he uses Sh100 million for harambees yet his salary his Sh2 million. Where does he get the money?" he posed. "Even Safaricom cannot be able to conduct harambees with his pace,"Odinga noted. During his tour in Mombasa on Saturday , Ruto has said wheeler-dealers have derailed the government's development agenda to advance their political interests. Ruto said he was disappointed by the move to divert funds meant for agriculture to fund Jubilee Party campaigns. He said: "It is not possible that this week alone, when people are dying of hunger, Shs 1 billion has been withdrawn to buy politicians back to Jubilee." Odinga in a rejoinder scoffed at Ruto's sentiments taunting that in his position as Deputy President he has siphoned funds aimed at development. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "He comes out barking at us calling us 'kitendawili' all that is rubbish,"he said. This is even as he promised that he will deliver his 6,000 shillings monthly stipend to unemployed youth if elected president despite the criticism by his political detractors. Odinga said the initiative, to be rolled out as a direct cash transfer programme, will be given out monthly to two million of the poorest households. "Tangatanga people are saying that Odinga is lying and that he will not deliver. A promise is a debt and I Odinga know where money is and having been a Prime Minister,I know where money is,"he said. The Former Prime Minister noted that sealing of all corruption loopholes will be key to avail resources for the sustainance of the welfare programme. In his first 100 days in presidency should he win, Odinga insisted it will be a period of economic revitalization with the Mumias sugar company expected to be up and running by September this year. "What I say I will deliver.We knew what ails our sugar industries be it Mumias,Sony or Chemili.We know what ails them and we have the right medicine.We want our people to gain employment and that is a tool of economic liberation,"said Odinga. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has declared his intension to contest the 2023 presidential election insisting that he has the capacity to confront the All Progressives Congress, APC. The Governor who made his intention known Sunday when he consulted with stakeholders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Makurdi the Benue State capital, to inform them of his aspiration said he had all it takes to take power from the APC. He said: "I have the capacity to face the evil called APC. I equally have the capacity to move this country forward. APC needs a person who has the capacity to tell them that enough is enough. "In politics I know that power is not freely given you must be prepared to take it and I am prepared to take. I therefore urge Benue delegates not to sell their votes. Give me your votes and together we will rescue Nigerian from APC." The Rivers State Governor, who also sympathized with victims of the recent fire incidents that razed two markets in Makurdi and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of the state, donated N200million to each of the markets to assist the victims and ensure the reconstruction of the markets. Earlier, Governor Samuel Ortom who commended his Rivers State counterpart for always being on the side of truth and justice, recalled how he came to the aid of the state during its trying moments in 2018 saying: "You have sown a seed which has germinated and you have touched lives. I want to assure you that we are with you, wherever you go we will go with you. I want to state that if we believe in equity, fairness and justice the presidency should be zoned to the South. And Governor Wike has the capacity to lead this country." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Speaking on behalf of the National Assembly members from the State, Senator Abba Moro, said Governor Wike has proven overtime that he could be trusted with the leadership of the country because of his forthrightness and development strides in his state. Chairman of the PDP in Benue state, Sir John Ngbede said the leadership of the party would stand behind the decision and choice of its leader Governor Ortom on who would be supported during party's coming presidential primaries. Also speaking, a member of the delegation and former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke said Governor Wike had given his all to the party and shown commitment to the wellbeing of Nigerians and should be supported by all to assume the leadership of the country in 2023. Vanguard News Nigeria Shortly after banning revenue touts operating around Ochanja Central Market, Ochanja Roundabout and some parts of Fegge in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has ordered all public servants in the state to always report to work on Mondays, like other weekdays. Since the resumption of the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, the group had called for a shutdown of businesses on Mondays but later rescinded it. But despite the rescinding of the decision by the separatist group, there has been fear of attacks on those who go to work, leading to the continued stay at home every Monday. But in a move to return Monday to a normal working day, Prof. Soludo through the Head of Service, Barr. Theodora Igwegbe ordered workers to always ensure they are at their duty posts on Mondays. In a circular that was issued recently and signed by Igwegbe, the Head of Service, Soludo warned that absence from work on Mondays will attract sanctions. Also Read: Stop Monday sit-at-home, Soludo tells Anambra market leaders The memo read: "Following the need to reposition the service for better performance and productivity, His Excellency, the governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has directed that henceforth, all public servants should report at their places of work every Monday like every other weekday. "Consequently, absence from work on Monday, or any other workday without any approval will be viewed as serious misconduct, which will attract appropriate sanctions. This directive takes immediate effect." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Labour Nigeria By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Soludo had lamented the continued boycott of work on Mondays in the South East, saying that the zone loses an estimated N19.6billion every Monday. During his inaugural speech as governor, Soludo had extended an olive branch to all armed groups, saying he was ready to engage them in a round table discussion. He lamented that many criminals now hide under freedom fighting to perpetuate criminality. That was how he similarly banned touts from operating in parts of the state from the collection of revenue. However, the touts have been fighting back and trying to operate as usual. Last week, tricycle operators plying the area withdrew their services to the public particularly, traders and businessmen who transact their commercial and businesses activities in the area, on the excuse that the revenue collectors were using all kinds of dangerous weapons to force them to part with the various sums of money, boasting that no government will stop them from collecting revenue. But peace returned in the area shortly after the news broke, following the deployment of Policemen from Fegge Divisional Police Station, by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Fegge Area, Mr. Rabiu Garba, who also gave them a very stern warning to leave Fegge or be ready for the consequences of their illegal actions. The spokesperson of the Liberia National Police Moses Carter discloses here that following an examination conducted on the lifeless body of 25- year-old Princess Cooper, a resident of Tweh Farm, Bushrod Island, the Police have not established any foul play into the death of the young lady. "The Police is yet to establish any foul play in the death surrounding the 25-year-old Princess Cooper, whose lifeless body was discovered in a pool of blood in the compound of Fawar Construction Material Store at ELWA Junction in Paynesville", Mr. Carter says. Addressing reporters over the weekend in Monrovia, the Police spokesman explained that initial examination carried out on the lifeless body at the John F. Kennedy Hospital Mortuary, discovered no laceration or bruises. According to him, several persons, including employees and security officers providing services at the facility where the remains of the girl were discovered, are being interrogated at the Headquarters of the Liberia National Police. Twenty-five years old Princess Cooper was discovered dead in the fence hosting the Fawaz Construction Materials Store at ELWA Junction on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The deceased, according to an eyewitness was a caterer, makeup artist and resident of Tweh Farm Community on Bushrod Island in District#16, Montserrado County. Meanwhile, spokesman Carter is calling on social media users to desist from spreading falsehood to the general public. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Liberia Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "We want to call on our citizens especially those in the diaspora and at home to desist from spreading rumors to the general public, this undermines the efforts of the police in its quest to ascertain the facts" he adds. He says the Police are under obligation to protect every citizen, and that government doesn't take interest in the mysterious death of its citizens. "We call on the public to exercise restraint and allow the police to do its work, but once you start to spread misconception then we find it difficult to get to the bottom." But the Government, through the Ministry of Justice, has requested the immediate conduct of an autopsy on the bodies of Princess and Melvin Togba in order to establish what led to their deaths. Ms. Cooper was discovered dead on March 24, 2022, at the ELWA intersection in Paynesville, in a compound believed to be owned by the Fawaz Building Materials Store; while Mr. Togba was found dead in his bedroom in Jallah Town the same day. The government statement said although an initial report by the police coroner and forensic team is available, the conduct of an autopsy will help establish the actual cause of death. Liberian pathologists Benedict S. Kolee and Zoebon K. Kparteh have therefore been asked to carry out independent post-mortem examinations on the remains of the two. ABOUT 134.433bn/- was provided to Mara Region for implementing various development projects during President Samia Suluhu Hassan's one year in the highest office of the land. Outlining key achievements made by Mara Region during President Samia's 365 days in office, the Regional Commissioner (RC) Ally Hapi said his region had recorded tremendous success in different sectors including education, health, infrastructure and energy among others. Addressing journalists in Dodoma region where he came to attend the ongoing pre budget meetings of the parliamentary budget committee, Mr Hapi said that after his region received 14.32bn/- that was provided by the Head of State to reduce the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic from 1.3tril/- provided as a concessional loan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to the government of Tanzania, Mara managed to construct 708 classes just within two months. Also he added, the region spent about 6.88bn/- and 5.78bn/- to implement various projects in health and water sectors respectively and that in the next few days Musoma Municipality will have access to clean and safe water by 100 per cent from the current 95 per cent. The RC added that the Rural and Urban Water and Sanitation Authority (RUWASA) in Mara region had in the past one year of president Samia in office received 4.5bn/- to implement water projects in nine constituencies where as each constituency had implemented one robust water project. "On the health sector we are now constructing about 10 new health centres which will spend upon completion about 5bn/- because every centre will cost about 500m/-" he noted. On the energy sector, Mr Hapi said that about 407 villages had been connected to electricity and that there were only 45 villages which were yet to be connected to the national grid. However, he added through the ongoing Rural Energy Agency (REA) phase III, the all villages would be connected and that 9.4bn/- would be spent. THE Burunge Wildlife Management Authority (WMA) is mulling over plans of establishing community based tourism with a view of improving people's livelihoods in the area. Briefing Journalists' Environmental Association of Tanzania (JET) members here recently, Burunge WMA Secretary Benson Mwaise suggested that there was huge potential in the product, as the authority strives to strike the right balance between conservation and people's livelihoods. "This is a low-hanging fruit which is yet to fully utilised, we are optimistic that the initiative will transform people's lives economically," he said. Mr Mwaise said the WMA was planning to register groups that have express willingness in capitalising in community-based tourism. According to the Burunge WMA Secretary, if enhanced and promoted, culture-based tourism has the potential to influence people's livelihoods through the income generated from tourism activities and employment. "This in turn contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage sites and hence sustainability," he said. Mr Mwaise singled out the traditional dances at Sangaiwe village as a potential area worth utilizing in the quest of realizing community based tourism. The JET members were on a weeklong fact finding mission at Kwakuchinja Wildlife Corridor through a five- year United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Tuhifadhi Maliasili Project. Among other things, the project seeks to build institutional capacity of public and private stakeholders through providing local- and national-level technical support to organizations implementing the mandate for proper oversight of wildlife movement corridors. The project also facilitates partnerships that identify shared goals in managing wildlife movement. It also increases private sector engagement in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management through creating incentives for the private sector to invest in conservation and improve the livelihood of communities and improving the policy, regulatory, and enabling environments for biodiversity conservation and natural resource management. Located in Babati District, the Burunge WMA is very close to both Tarangire and Manyara National Parks. THE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has asked local government officials to help in properly setting boundary markers to smooth the coming National Census exercise. This was stated in Dodoma recently by the National Census Coordinator, Seif Kuchengo during a census planning meeting with local government officials from ward to divisional levels as well as councilors from the capital city. "Ensure your boundaries are clear so that to help census expert to carry out their duties more efficiently," he urged. For her part, the Commissioner for Population and Housing Census in Mainland Tanzania, Anne Makinda said in the exercise of local identification, Tanga Region has been an example of good planning. She asked the executives to help a team of experts, who will visit their areas, so they can assist them with the right boundaries. The Commissioner for Census in Zanzibar, Ambassador Mohammed Haji Hamza has called for close collaboration of the executives to facilitate the census exercise. He said the identification exercise is almost completed and will be followed by the exercise of training, equipment preparation and recruitment. Acting Statistician General, Ms Ruth Minja said preparations for the National Census exercise are at 70 per cent, including preparation of the questionnaire guidelines. . The Last Word On Sunday March 20th, speaker of parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, succumbed to a terminal illness in a hospital in Seattle - three days shy of his 57th birthday. He had been fighting for his life for over nine months. Outside, a crowd of wannabe Ugandans in America were demonstrating against his hospitalization abroad, insisting that government was wasting money to save his life. What has become of us? Many Ugandans believe such advanced and specialized medical services should be available in the country and should be provided for free to all citizens by the government. This is a level of thoughtlessness that is difficult to fathom. It is sad that Oulanyah died before he had served any substantial amount of time as speaker. This has robbed us of an opportunity to experience his leadership at the top. We had a good idea of his ability and style since he had been deputy speaker for the previous ten years. Nonetheless, a deputy is a deputy and we needed to see Oulanyah with full powers. I am sure he was going to leave an enduring legacy on the speakership. Oulanyah possessed the right qualities for the job - a rare combination of toughness when necessary, and a soft reconciliatory touch. Uganda's parliamentarians can be rowdy, as they demonstrated during the constitutional amendment to remove age limits. Oulanyah knew how to use the rules, his strength of character and maturity of judgment to avoid such situations. This is why he was a darling of many MPs - he could be tough on them and yet retain their friendship and loyalty. He did this because he never took things personally. In his private space, he could easily lose his cool, but never in the performance of his official duties as speaker. I knew Oulanyah very well, having met him when I was a student at Makerere University, him an intellectual on the Uganda political scene. This was in the mid 1990s during the constitution making process. We immediately struck a friendship. An agricultural economist who later studied law and became one of the best lawyers in town, Oulanyah was an all-rounder. He was a man with a big heart - open, generous, affable and always ready to engage. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, I was a regular visit to his home in Muyenga-Kasanga, where I would meet his late wife Dorothy and their kids. Dorothy and Oulanyah were more than wife and husband. They were buddies as well. Around the house he took care of kids of his later sister, a young sibling and many people who had little means and sought his support. In my interactions with him, I realized that he was always focused on the future and a congenital optimist. He always looked back to the past of course, not as a museum of remembrance but as a source of lessons on how to navigate the present and pursue the future he sought. Oulanyah's political life was a rollercoaster right from his student days. He was not new to the job of speaker having served as speaker to the student's Guild Representative Council at Makerere University in the late 1980s. It is there that he built his friendship with the indefatigable Nobert Mao, president of DP, who was Guild President. During a strike over "cost sharing" where he was one of the leaders at the university in 1989, two students were shot dead, Oulanyah was injured. It was his initiation into national politics and propelled him to what became a life-long career. The former speaker's political journey is a powerful story of triumph against the odds. It is also a story of Uganda's politics of conflict and reconciliation. He came from Acholi although his father (now 92 years young) is Langi. The region was characterized by a long running and brutal insurgency for the first 20 years of President Yoweri Museveni's administration. Oulanyah, his family and people were victims of this insurgency, caught between an exceptionally brutal rebel group, the LRA, and government troops that were often violent and inconsiderate. It pained him. Yet in spite of this, he never lost his optimism or sense of perspective and never allowed his personal and community suffering to embitter his soul. He was both a man of principle and a pragmatist even though the two seem an oxymoron. He knew too well the thin lines between principle and pragmatism: that when principle is taken too far, it becomes dogmatism and rigidity while unchecked pragmatism tends to opportunism. So, he always sought to strike a creative balance between these contradictions - not to pursue a principle in a rigid manner as to defeat its purpose but also not to be too pragmatic as to sell his soul. It is a remains a singular triumph of his political career that he navigated this terrain with exceptional skill. For instance, in the mid to late 1990s, Oulanyah used to tell me, and often even say it in public fora, that he was born UPC and will die UPC because that party's plasma ran inside his blood. Yet when the right moment came, he quit UPC and joined the NRM, a political party he had long opposed. It is a mark of his political acumen and Museveni's (and NRM's) accommodating and reconciliatory approach to politics that this happened. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Uganda Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. I know how this came about. Before he crossed to NRM, he sought my advice. I told Oulanyah that I saw little ideological and personnel differences between NRM and UPC. NRM was a child of UPC - most of its leaders having been UPC youths-wingers who disagreed with its founding president, Milton Obote, rather than the party's ideological inclinations and policy preferences. In the policy sphere, NRM had come to power articulating UPC's 1969 leftish policy ideas, and just like UPC in the early 1980s, had embraced free market policies. The two parties were therefore similar. I encouraged him to join NRM, even predicting that his career in NRM will go beyond anything UPC could ever offer him. In 2004, he was what used to be called opposition MPs although there was no such thing in the constitution of the time. He had chaired the parliamentary legal committee that was tasked to handle the sensitive issue of removal of term limits. Everyone expected Oulanyah to use his position to create a stalemate. But he was politically smart enough to recognize that democracy is a game of numbers, and the NRM had these. Using his position to suppress the move would be tantamount to abuse of office. He managed the process with such political and leadership skill that the committee approved the amendments without causing the kind of fist fights that characterized the removal of age limits. Organised Labour under the aegis of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, NUBIFIE, has picked hole in the ongoing amendment of 35-year-old Bank Employees Declaration of Assets, BEDA, Act 1986, saying some aspects of the amendment bill are offensive and infringe on individuals rights and liberty. This came as Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, called for regulation manual to regularise 'non-permanent' staff of banks and other financial institutions as part of ongoing review of the nation's Labour Laws. In a welcome address at the 11th, 7th Quadrennial Delegates Conference , QDC, of NUBIFIE in Lagos Weekend, NUBIFIE President, Anthony Abakpa, listed some of the challenges confronting the sector, among which is the BEDA. According to him, "another challenge facing the industry currently ongoing at the National Assembly has to do with the Bank Employees Act Declaration of Assets. While we appreciate the rationale behind the review of the act, which is to enhance accountability, transparency, integrity and good corporate governance in the banking industry. Nonetheless, we are concerned with some aspects of the amendment bill which has tended to infringe on individual rights and liberty. Individuals who are not employees of banks, such as children, spouses etc should not be subjected to any part of the act simply because of an affinity to an employee of a bank, especially on assets disclosures of such individuals who are not direct employees of banks. "Another contradiction in the act was the definition of outsourced workers in the bank as employees of banks. This is an issue that has given great concern to Labour as a whole, but in particular, the banking and insurance industry, which has agitated the minds of concerned outsourced workers in the banking industry as to what exactly is their employment status. "If, for the purpose of this act, outsourced workers are defined as bank employees, then that act should equally make them just that, employees of banks, as full staff status, recognising as it were, their current employment status being employees of outsourcing companies. However, as union we are able to achieve the concurrence of the tripartite partners (government, employers and the two sectoral unions) in developing framework guidelines designed to address benefits and other related gaps in the employment of outsourced workers, which is current in the process of being finalised for presentation before the Federal Executive Council, FEC. Speaking, President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, contended that the Labour Laws review should also embrace stiffer legislative sanctions on casualisation of workers and decried several unfriendly labour practises in the banking and other financial institutions sector. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Labour By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Represented by Deputy President of Congress , Joe Ajaero, Wabba recalled that NLC and the leadership of NUBIFIE had reached out to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Bankers' Committee, seeking practical solutions to the abnormalities in the system. Lamenting that one of the abnormalities is that the last Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, in the financial sector was done in 2005. According to him, "The CBA was due for review in 2007. Our affiliates in the banking sector wrote to the CBN on the need to review the CBA. Banks were also written to address the issues of CBA and 'non-permanent' staff in their payroll. Sadly, up till date nothing concrete has come out of those engagements. "There is also the issue of subjecting bank workers to the stress and strain of outrageous deposit or investment targets. Such pressure has forced many bank workers into very unethical and immoral conduct just to satisfy the expectations of management. "It is important to make the point loud and clear that these unfair, degrading and dehumanising culture that have become entrenched in our banking system are not only akin to "modern day slavery" but are also against conditions precedent for banking operations license in Nigeria and certainly offensive to our culture and tradition and laws." Vanguard News Nigeria ASSISTANT SPEAKER OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Katherine Clark was in Woburn at the former Hurld Elementary School off Bedford Road to visit the site of one of 10 water infrastructure and water resiliency projects being funded in the 2022 federal budget. The Hurld Park Green Infrastructure Project is expected to receiving $262,500 in federal funds. She is joined on Wednesday morning by (l-r) Ward 3 Councilor Jeff Dillon, City Council President Michael Concannon, Mayor Scott Galvin, State Rep. Richard Harggerty, and Catherine Pedemonti, MyRWAs Environmental Resiliency Manager.(photo by Joe Brown) A U.S. Marine Corps carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Capt. Ross A. Reynolds of Leominster, Mass., into a transfer vehicle during a casualty return, Friday, March 25, 2022, at Dover Air Force Base. According to the Department of Defense, Reynolds died March 18, in an Osprey crash during a NATO exercise in Norway. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) De Lima alarmed over reported missing peace consultants Re-electionist Senator Leila M. de Lima expressed alarm over reports of missing peace consultants who were allegedly abducted in separate incidents in Davao del Norte this March. De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, joined calls from the human rights community in urging authorities and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to thoroughly investigate these incidents and help search for the missing personalities. "It's been roughly a month since two peace consultants and their companions went missing in Davao and we have yet to hear any leads or updates about their disappearance," she said, citing news reports. "Nakakabahala ang ganitong mga insidente lalo na sa mga pamilyang araw-araw na nag-aabang ng balita, nangangamba at nag-aalala. Magigising na lang ba tayong ganito madalas ang nababasa at naririnig natin?" she added. According to human rights group Karapatan, Ezequiel Daguman, 50, and his companion have been missing since the afternoon of March 7 while they were en route to a peasant community in one of the banana plantations in New Corella, Davao del Norte. Both were supposed to look into the situation of workers and farmers in the area. Edwin Alcid and his two companions, for their part, were allegedly accosted by soldiers on March 8 in Catubig, Northern Samar. Reportedly, all five have yet to be found as of this writing. De Lima, a former CHR Chairperson, said these kinds of disappearances should not be ignored, "lest we want more disappearances involving peace consultants, human rights defenders and social workers to happen." "Pabalik na naman ba tayo sa panahon ng mga 'desaparecidos'? Kailanman, hindi pwedeng manahimik at magkibit-balikat na lang sa ganitong mga insidente; hindi pwedeng maging normal ang ganitong mga pagkawala, at kultura ng kawalang pananagutan sa ating bansa," she said. "Ganito na ang nasaksihan natin sa nakalipas na anim na taon ng gobyerno ni Duterte. Hindi na natin ito dapat maatim at hayaan pang mangyari sa susunod na anim na taon ng papalit na liderato," she added. Reportedly, since Duterte's unilateral termination of peace talks in 2017, there has been a series of arrests and killings of peace consultants. Press Release March 28, 2022 Like Drugs, Carnapping: Lacson Pushes 2-Pronged Approach vs Agri Smuggling More at: https://pinglacson.net/article/like-drugs-carnapping-lacson-pushes-2-pronged-approach-vs-agri-smuggling Citizens can play a role in curbing agricultural smuggling by making "citizens' arrests" against those selling smuggled vegetables and other agricultural products in the open market, applying the plain view doctrine, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson said Monday. Lacson said this demand-reduction approach is part of the two-pronged strategy he suggested to stop the practice, which the Bureau of Customs and Department of Agriculture have not been able to address. "Kung obvious na smuggled, huwag na tayo magturuan kasi may citizens arrest. Pwedeng kumpiskahin ng maski sino, humingi ng assistance from law enforcement (If you see that the vegetables are obviously smuggled, there's such a thing as citizens arrest. Any citizen can seize the items and they can seek assistance from law enforcement to do so)," Lacson said at the hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole on the issue. "Even as a plain citizen you can conduct arrests and call for the assistance of the authorities, ang pwede mag-file ng kaso, etc. (Even as a plain citizen you can conduct arrests and call for the assistance of authorities who can file the needed charges)," he added. He said this approach is similar to the one he adopted against illegal drugs and carnapping when he headed the Philippine National Police from 1999 to 2001. This helped bring down criminality including carnapping and illegal drugs. Lacson said such demand reduction is half of the strategy, with the other half being supply reduction where authorities seize smuggled vegetables before they leave the Customs facilities. Otherwise, he said the vegetables would reach vendors who could unwittingly sell them. "Kung two-pronged strategy ia-apply natin palagay ko di mag proliferate ang smuggled vegetables (If we apply this two-pronged strategy, smuggled vegetables won't proliferate)," he said. Meanwhile, Lacson challenged the DA and Bureau of Customs to find ways to stop agricultural smuggling, which he said continues despite having supposedly stringent requirements for importers of agricultural products in getting accreditation and registration. He cited information reaching him that some importers found engaged in wrongdoing are blacklisted merely changed their names and were accredited again. "Ang hirap kunin ang requirements pero ang dali sa mga smugglers na lumusot (It is so hard for importers to comply with requirements, but it is so easy for smugglers to get past authorities)," he said. In the meantime, he lamented that due to smuggling, "imagine how many kilos of carrots are given away for charity" because they cannot be sold, to the detriment of our local farmers. "From BOC and DA, kindly convince us na walang milagrong nangyayari bakit may smuggled vegetables, meat and meat products. Kindly explain. Decades na, wala pa tayong solution. In the meantime our vegetable planters and hog raisers nagsa-suffer for decades and we allow that (From the BOC and DA, kindly convince us there is nothing fishy going on behind the continued smuggling of vegetables, meat and meat products. It's been decades but we have no solution to this yet. In the meantime our vegetable planters and hog raisers suffer and we allow that)," he added. Lacson vowed not to stop questioning until he and fellow senators are satisfied with the BOC and DA's explanations. "Pag walang nangyayari, may kompromiso. Simple as that. So kindly look into that (If nothing is happening by way of a solution, there is a compromise. Simple as that. So kindly look into that)," he said. Press Release March 28, 2022 'May mga untouchables na ayaw hulihin', says Pangilinan on large-scale food smuggling VICE-PRESIDENTIAL candidate Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Monday did not mince his words and said "untouchables" are behind the continuous large-scale food smuggling in the country, affecting the livelihood of local farmers particularly those in Benguet. At the continuation of the investigation by the Senate Committee of the Whole on the issue, Pangilinan said that the government should go after these untouchables as they are lining up their pockets at the expense and safety of the Filipino people. "Mayroong untouchables. May mga untouchables. Malakas ang kapit na ayaw nilang habulin. Iyan ang basa ko diyan," Pangilinan said after representatives from the Bureau of Customs fail to answer questions pertaining to the smuggling issue. "Masyado sigurong malapit sa mga naka-upo kaya ganyan ang sitwasyon," he added. As former food security secretary, Pangilinan is no stranger to the issue smuggling of agricultural products as he also faced the same dilemma. But according to Pangilinan, the government back then was hellbent in its resolve to address the rampant smuggling in the country as a way to protect the livelihood of local farmers. "At least noong panahon na iyon, walang untouchable dahil siniguro natin na nasampahan sila ng kaso at sinuspinde natin iyong mga ilang kasabwat [sa gobyerno]," Pangilinan said. "Pero dito kung ganyang walang kilos at lantaran, yes compromised, may nako-compromiso sa BOC, sa DA, at may mga untouchables, ayaw nilang hulihin," he added. Earlier in the hearing, Agot Balanoy of the League of Associations of La Trinidad Vegetable told the senators that smuggling has destroyed the livelihood of farmers and everyone involved in the food industry eco-system. Balanoy said that despite reporting to the Department of Agriculture the smuggling incidents as early as July last year, the agency did not bat an eye, and instead shrugged off the smuggling issue. "We started complaining last year of July and August. But the Department of Agriculture denied that there is smuggling, or that there are smuggled vegetables coming from China entering our markets," she said. Balanoy said that local sellers prefer buying the smuggled vegetables as these are cheaper and with longer life span compared to the locally produced vegetables. This resulted in 40% decrease in the regular daily order of carrots for Benguet farmers, amounting to at least P2.5 million pesos loss in revenue daily. It was pointed out that these imports last longer because cancer-causing formaldehyde was used to preserve the products. Balanoy also slammed the slow-paced action of their local officials, including ACT-CIS Representative Eric Yap, in addressing the issue, saying they are of no help at all. According to Balanoy, Yap said in a press release that he had filed a resolution in Congress calling for the investigation of the smuggling issue. But Balanoy is skeptical about the resolution, saying Yap was identified as a smuggler in a Manila Times article and a privilege speech of Senator Panfilo Lacson. Yap, who was born in Davao City, owes his political power and influence to his closeness to presidential son and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte. Prior to joining politics, Yap and his family made money as customs brokers. Among other controversial issues, Yap has voted against granting franchise to ABS-CBN. ?? En vivo | El presidente @PedroCastilloTe, junto con el titular del @MineduPeru, lidera la ceremonia por el inicio del Ano Escolar 2022 en la red de Colegios de Alto Rendimiento (COAR) en Chaclacayo.#TodosVuelven https://t.co/XsXzZfUg4N YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia is pleased to note that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries gave a clear assessment to the latest escalation in Nagorno Karabakh, stating that it is a consequence of the Azerbaijani troops movements, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said that it called on the Azerbaijani side to pull back its army units. And on March 27 the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation released a statement saying that the Azerbaijani side has withdrawn its units from the Parukh settlement of Nagorno Karabakh. Nevertheless, we have to note that the Azerbaijani units invasion into the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh still continues, which is reflected in the attached maps. We expect the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in Nagorno Karabakh to take concrete measures to stop the invasion of the Azerbaijani units into the area of responsibility of the peacekeepers and to withdraw the Azerbaijani armed forces. We emphasize the importance of a proper investigation into the actions of the peacekeeping contingent during the entire period of the Azerbaijani military invasion and for answers to a number of questions to be given, the foreign ministry added. The deployment locations of the Russian peacekeepers shown in the maps is taken from the Russian Defense Ministry website. The map describing the situation as of March 24, 2022 clearly shows that there are no Azerbaijani posts in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers. However, the map as of March 28 shows Azerbaijani posts in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers. Poe sa Chinese Coast Guard vessels: Dapat agad na aksyunan ng gobyerno ang ulat ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) hinggil sa ginawang panggigitgit ng isang barko ng Chinese Coast Guard sa West Philippine Sea. Ito ay panganib sa gitna ng pagpalaot sa karagatan at humahadlang sa karapatan ng mga Pilipino na makinabang sa yamang-dagat sa loob ng ating exclusive economic zone. Pinupuri natin ang PCG sa aktibo nitong pagpapatrolya at pag-alerto sa mga awtoridad ukol sa nasabing kaganapan. Hindi dapat malunod na lamang sa gitna ng kampanyang pampulitika ang panawagan ng PCG, habang patuloy na nagmamatigas ang China sa West Philippine Sea. Hindi natin dapat itong palampasin nang hindi nagpapahayag ng protesta, kasabay ng patuloy na pagpapalakas sa mga diplomatikong inisyatibo kasama ng ibang mga bansa para ipagtanggol ang ating soberanya sa ating karagatan. ______________________________________________________________ Poe on Chinese Coast Guard vessels: The government must act urgently on the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) report of close distance maneuvering by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel in the West Philippine Sea. Its presence poses risks to safety of navigation and impedes on the Filipinos' rights to benefit from marine wealth in our exclusive economic zone. We laud the PCG for actively patrolling our waters and for immediately alerting concerned bodies about the incident. Its call to action should not be drowned by the frenzy of the political campaign as China's intransigence on the West Philippine Sea issue remains real. We must not let this pass without raising protest even as we continue to bolster diplomatic initiatives with other foreign nations in asserting sovereignty over our waters. YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. In over 20 years, citizens of Turkey bought 72 and citizens of Azerbaijan bought 5 or 6 real estate properties in Armenia, the Head of the Armenian Cadastre Committee Suren Tovmasyan told reporters when asked on the matter. Tovmasyan said the real estate bought by the Turkish and Azerbaijani citizens are of non-agricultural significance. Citizens of any country can buy real estate of non-agricultural significance in Armenia, Tovmasyan explained. Ever since the registration of rights, if I am not mistaken since 2002, thereve only been 72 real estate units to be bought by citizens of Turkey. Most of these properties were apartments, and some were small public facilities, Tovmasyan said. Asked to elaborate on the acquisition of real estate by Azerbaijani citizens, Tovmasyan said relevant background checks are in place. Foreign citizens dont buy that property here with their passports just like that. These people get a respective travel passport here, and all concerns are allayed in that process. If they have the travel passport it means that everything checked out and then only they buy the real estate, Tovmasyan said, referring to background security checks. Tovmasyan says thereve been 5 or 6 real estate to be bought by Azerbaijani citizens in Armenia. He dismissed rumors claiming that Azerbaijanis are buying real estate in Armenia especially in the recent period. He said the years of acquisition vary. YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. Around 850 million dollars in remittances flow into Armenia from Russia every year, but due to the situation in Russia this number could drop around 40%, Armenian Finance Minister Tigran Khachatryan said. Speaking on Armenian exports to Russia, Khachatryan expressed confidence that Armenian exporters will overall find new opportunities. He cited similar situations of 2015 and 2016. In 2021 we had around 860-870 million dollars in exports to Russia, he said, adding that the businesses got impacted when there were currency shocks and their debts were in rubles. The finance minister didnt give assessments as to how much this would impact economic activity in 2022. YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received today Director-General of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) Kathryne Bomberger, the foreign ministry said in a news release. The sides praised the productive partnership established between the respective state structures of Armenia and the ICMP. In this context Minister Mirzoyan expressed gratitude to Kathryne Bomberger for the contribution to the process of DNA identification of bodies of Armenian servicemen fallen at the 2020 war. The sides then discussed the prospects of deepening and expanding the mutual partnership. FM Mirzoyan said Armenia attaches great importance to the need to find out the fates of persons missing after the war, as well as reveal the causes, emphasizing in this respect the cooperation opportunities with the Commission. Ararat Mirzoyan briefed Kathryne Bomberger on the humanitarian consequences of the 2020 Azerbaijani military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh, particularly stressing the need for the immediate return of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages illegally held in Azerbaijan. The Armenian FM also presented the situation after the latest incursion of the Azerbaijani armed forces into the village of Parukh of Artsakh. Taking steps for mitigating the tension and establishing stability in the region was emphasized. YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense of Armenia Suren Papikyan held a meeting with the delegation led by Kathryne Bomberger, the Director-General of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). The Armenian Ambassador to the Netherlands Tigran Balayan also attended the meeting, the Ministry of Defense said in a press release. Minister of Defense Papikyan expressed satisfaction over the effective cooperation between the ICMP and the relevant organizations of Armenia, expressing hope that the cooperation will be continuous. The Armenian Defense Minister and the ICMP director discussed a number of issues relating to the coordination of the work aimed at determining the fate of those missing as a result of the First Nagorno Karabakh War and the Second Nagorno Karabakh War. YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of Armenia denied the reports by Turkish and Azerbaijani media outlets that claimed the Armenian military transferred four SU-30 fighter jets to Russia with the purpose of using them in the military operations in Ukraine. The Azerbaijani Haber Global television network, broadcast in Turkey, citing unknown sources within the Turkish intelligence, published a material claiming that Armenia transferred four SU-30 aircraft to Russia with the purpose of using them in the combat operations against Ukraine. This information is a total lie. All aircraft of the arsenal of Armenias armed forces, with their personnel, are stationed in their locations and are fulfilling their objectives. Another claim made in the same report alleging that Armenia is one of the main directions through which mercenaries from Syria are transferred to Ukraine to fight from the Russian side is also false, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a statement. YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan received US Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy. As ARMENPRESS was inmformed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, the meeting focused on the situation over the incursion of Azerbaijani armed forces into the village of Parukh in Nagorno Karabakh, as well as the ongoing provocations against the civilian population of Artsakh and the deliberate disruption of the normal operation of vital infrastructure. Appreciating the assessment of the aggressive actions of Azerbaijan by the United States, Minister Mirzoyan stressed the need to take active steps to de-escalate the situation, highlighted the need for the international community to consistently address the problem. YEREVAN, MARCH 28, ARMENPRESS. No ceasefire violations were reported in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh during the day, ARMENPRESS reports the Russian Defense Ministry informed. "The Russian peacekeepers are conducting round-the-clock monitoring at 27 observation posts, monitoring the observance of the ceasefire regime. No violations have been reported in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent," the statement said. Germany is against sending NATO peacekeepers to Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the ARD TV channel on Sunday. March 28, 2022, 13:51 Scholz speaks against no-fly zone in Ukraine, sending NATO peacekeepers STEPANAKERT, MARCH 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: "We will not act there in the military sphere even if one calls it peacekeeping troops," he said. "We wont aspire to create a no-fly zone there," the chancellor added. That said, the official stated that he was doing "everything to help Ukraine." According to him, currently "sanctions are the main tool" against Russia. Earlier, Warsaw proposed to send a NATO peacekeeping mission to western Ukraine. Polish President Andrzej Duda planned to submit his proposal to US President Joe Biden at the March 24 NATO summit. Following the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO would not send troops to Ukraine since it would lead to a full-scale conflict with Russia. US President Joe Biden said on Sunday that he did not call for regime change in Russia, the White House press pool reported. March 28, 2022, 11:05 Biden says he did not call for regime change in Russia STEPANAKERT, MARCH 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: On Sunday, Biden visited a church in Washington. According to Bloombergs Courtney Rozen, when the head of state was exiting the church, one of the reporters asked him whether he called for regime change. The American leader responded: "No." Earlier, during his Warsaw visit, Biden asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot remain in power." The White House later assured that the US leader "was not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change." In his turn, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that it was not up to the US president to decide who would be in power in Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that Germany is considering setting up a missile shield for the whole of Germany, Deutsche Welle reports. March 28, 2022, 12:15 Germany considering new missile defense system STEPANAKERT, MARCH 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: The missile defense system will be based on the Israeli model. "[A missile shield] is certainly among the things we are discussing, for good reason," DW quoted Scholz as saying in an interview to broadcaster ARD. "We must all prepare ourselves for the fact that we have a neighbor presently ready to use force to assert its interests." German newspaper Bild am Sonntag had previously reported that Germany was considering purchasing an Israeli Arrow 3 system. This system would cost 2 billion ($2.2 billion), the newspaper reported. Your browser does not support the video tag. In the evening of March 27 and as of 12 PM of March 28, the operative-tactical situation along the entire line of contact, including the eastern section, is relatively stable, no major ceasefire violations have been registered, Artsakh Information Center informs. March 28, 2022, 12:45 The village of Parukh of the Askeran region is now under the control of the Russian peacekeeping troops. Information Center STEPANAKERT, MARCH 28, ARTSAKHPRESS: The village of Parukh of the Askeran region is now under the control of the Russian peacekeeping troops. Due to the courageous efforts of the Artsakh Armed Forces, the Armenian side managed to suspend the advance of the subdivisions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and to maintain control over the main part of Karaglukh height. Azerbaijani troops continue to remain in fortified positions of one slope of Karaglukh. The largest nursing home operating in Cayuga County has a new leader. Syracuse-based Loretto on Monday announced the hiring of Bryan Petko as the new administrator of The Commons at St. Anthony in Auburn. Petko comes to the 300-bed facility after serving as senior executive director of Golden Living Center Oil City in western Pennsylvania. In that role, Petko held for 14 years, he "upheld the quality of care and services, oversaw all regulatory requirements and successfully managed the facilitys financial goals," Loretto said in a press release. Loretto operates The Commons, which is owned by a nonprofit organization that formed when the former Cayuga County Nursing Home merged with the former Mercy Health and Rehabilitation Center in 2014. Residents at the county-run facility on County House Road moved into newly renovated space at Mercy's campus, and the new entity was rebranded as The Commons. I am very excited to be back in New York and join the Loretto family in Auburn, Petko said in the press release. Along with the team of talented and dedicated professionals, I look forward to ensuring our residents continue to enjoy the high-quality care and dedicated services we provide at The Commons. I appreciate the family atmosphere and the kind people I have met both in Auburn and at the Commons. I can already tell the Commons is a special place for our residents to live and our employees to work." Prior to his time in Pennsylvania, Petko worked in western New York. From 2004 to 2006, he was an administrator in training and then director at Brothers of Mercy Nursing Rehabilitation Center in Clarence. Prior to that, Petko was assistant administrator at the Waters of Aurora Park in East Aurora. Petko earned a masters degree in health services administration from DYouville College and a bachelors degree in legal studies from University of Buffalo. Petko's hire is the second recent senior leadership addition at The Commons. Earlier this month, Lorretto announced the hire of Lori Sakalas as chief operating officer. Sakalas also has oversight of Loretto Health and Rehabilitation and The Nottingham Residential Healthcare Facility in central New York. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 Unity House of Cayuga County has announced the hiring of Dorothy Radcliff as the new director of its Grace House recovery program. Radcliff, of Scipio Center, began her new duties in February, replacing Ashley Short. Radcliff has a Bachelor of Social Work from Nazareth College and is a credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselor. Most recently, she was a program director and counselor at Helio Health in Syracuse, and worked for many years for Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services. Dorothy comes to Unity House with extensive experience in central New York providing a variety of services to individuals in recovery, said Darlene Podolak, Unity House's chief operating officer, in a news release. I am looking forward to her leadership at Grace House and the supportive living program, providing residential support and guidance. I anticipate that she will become a part of the Auburn community very quickly, and the transition will be positive for the staff and the residents. Radcliff is responsible for direct oversight and monitoring of operations for Grace House and the agency's supportive living facility, fostering an environment that promotes the health and safety of people in recovery. Addiction is a powerful disease, and one that has touched everyones life directly or indirectly, Radcliff said. Im very excited to return to the community that I grew up in to work with the Grace House team in making a difference, one day at a time. For more information, call (315) 253-6227 or visit unityhouse.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The heartbreaking death of Jordan Brooks has left our community reeling, and has raised serious questions about how services for the disability community are administered in Oswego County. Brooks, who was wheelchair bound and suffered from cerebral palsy, was 17 years old at the time of his death. His parents, Anthony and Lisa Waldron, were arrested and charged with negligent homicide, among several other related charges. There are no words to capture the tragedy of what happened to Jordan. According to investigators, because Jordan was sedentary in his wheelchair he developed infected bedsores so extreme his bones were exposed. He was grossly malnourished and septic, which was determined to be the ultimate cause of his death. The conditions surrounding Jordans death are horrifying, and no one should ever be forced to endure such neglect. There are a number of questions that need to be answered with respect to this tragedy. How was Jordans condition allowed to deteriorate like this? Did Oswego County Department of Social Services do everything in its power to address Jordans condition, and if not, why? The list goes on. The county has announced its intention to conduct an investigation, led by an outside entity. Thats an appropriate first step, and one that must ultimately result in corrective action and accountability. Sadly, this case shares many similarities with that of Erin Maxwell, of Palermo, who was found living in deplorable conditions and was eventually killed by her stepbrother in 2008. After that tragedy, local officials promised changes in protective service procedures to prevent something like that from happening in the future. Clearly, there were critical, systemic issues that were not adequately addressed. Again, why? In the wake of Erin Maxwells death, I proposed new requirements to strengthen protections for children in abusive situations and make endangering the welfare of a child a class D violent felony. Now, I am again calling for action. It is clear this matter will require a third-party investigation into exactly what happened, why and when. Answers to these questions are critical to ensuring this never happens to another child or individual with a disability moving forward. Lastly, as we enter the final leg of budget negotiations for next years spending plan, I urge Gov. Hochul to reconsider her proposal to cut $1.2 billion in funding to the Office of Children and Family Services. New York state is looking at its largest spending plan in history, with money distributed in seemingly every direction. There is no reason that a spending plan of this magnitude cannot accommodate these services. At a time when health care, both mental and physical, has never been more necessary, there must be a way to restore this proposed cut. Oswego County parents charged in death of disabled, malnourished teen OSWEGO The mother and stepfather of a 17-year-old boy with cerebral palsy who was severely underweight and covered with bedsores when he die Everything about Jordan Brooks death is unspeakably upsetting. We are a community in mourning, and I will continue to push for changes to address obvious flaws in a system that failed this young man. New York state and its local governments offer protective services for a reason, and if they cannot prevent egregious failures like the one that led to Jordan Brooks death, I have serious concerns about what else is falling through the cracks. These concerns must be addressed now, and in their entirety. If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 19 Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069 and by email at barclayw@nyassembly.gov. You may also find me, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, on Facebook or on Twitter at @WillABarclay. Will Barclay, R-Pulaski, is the state Assembly minority leader. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. CATL becomes investor of Avatr Technology According to the business data platform Qichacha, CATL recently joined the shareholder lineup of Avatr Technology (Chongqing) Co., Ltd., which was previously known as Changan NIO, a joint venture between Changan Automobile and NIO. AVATR 11photo credit: AVATR Dongfeng Kugang's third BEV model hits market On March 28, Dongfeng Kugang officially put its third BEV model, the Fukang ES600, onto the market with a guidance price of 153,800 yuan ($24,120). It features a NEDC-rated range of 430km. DENZA's first MPV to be unveiled in April According to a local media outlet, the first MPV under DENZA, a premium auto brand backed by BYD, will make its debut in April this year with two powertrain solutions (DM and BEV). Presale of Hengchi 5 to start soon The Hengchi 5, the first Hengchi-branded model, will soon become available for presale, said Liu Yongzhuo, president of Evergrande Auto. Gotion High-Tech to mass produce 230Wh/kg LFP battery at end of 2022 The Chinese power battery maker and Volkswagen's partner Gotion High-Tech has already achieved the industrialization for its 210Wh/g lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and will put the 230Wh/g LFP battery into mass production at the end of the year, Li Zhen, Chairman and CEO of the company, said on last Saturday at the China EV100 Forum 2022. Li Auto proposes plan to achieve zero fossil-fuel usage in cities China's new energy vehicle maker, Li Auto is confident in achieving zero-emission in urban areas in China, its founder and CEO, Li Xiang, said at the China EV100 Forum. China's intelligent driving startup iMotion completes C+ round, eyes IPO China's intelligent driving startup iMotion has received over a hundred million RMB in its C+ round of financing, led by iFlytek and China Merchant Group's startup funds. China's Farasis Energy in second round of negotiations for battery price rise Chinese power battery maker Farasis Energy is having the second round of negotiations for battery price adjustment with its OEM clients, Zhang Feng, senior vice president at Farasis Energy, said at the China EV100 Forum 2022. GAC AION to close A round of strategic investor introduction in Q3 GAC AION, the NEV-dedicated arm of GAC Group, plans to complete its A round of strategic investor introduction in the third quarter this year, but it has not decided whether to be listed on the Chinese mainland or in Hong Kong yet, Gu Huinan, general manager of GAC AION, said last Sunday at the China EV100 Forum. Pony.ai joins hands with NavInfo to advance intelligent driving technologies On March 28th, China's autonomous driving company, Pony.ai has partnered up with local navigation giant, NavInfo, to advance the current autonomous driving technologies. CATL announces third-generation CTP tech dubbed Qilin CATL has developed its third-generation CTP (cell-to-pack) battery technology, which is internally dubbed Qilin Battery, Wu Kai, chief scientist at CATL, said at the China EV100 Forum last Saturday. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas autonomous driving startup Zongmu Tech announced the completion of its Series E investment round on March 28th, raising over RMB1 billion ($157.09 million). Photo credit: Zongmu Tech The round was led by Dongyang Guanding, a state-owned private equity investment fund targeting Zongmu Tech exclusively. Participants of the round include COSCO Shipping-backed Yuanhai Fund, Sunic Capital, one of the earliest integrated circuits investing capital ventures in China, and others. According to the founder and CEO of Zongmu Tech, Tang Rui, at the current stage of development, the autonomous driving competition is determined by each companys systematic R&D ability and mass production/delivery capability. The recognition and investments from its shareholders will strengthen Zongmu Techs delivery capability from 1 to N. The CEO disclosed that the funds will be put towards accelerating its mass-produced project R&D. Moreover, the company plans to build an industrial park that allows a designed production capacity of 2 million autonomous driving systems annually, in Dongyang city, Zhejiang province. Founded in 2013, Zongmu Tech was one of the first Chinese autonomous driving companies that landed L4 mass production orders from automakers. The company holds comprehensive R&D capability from algorithms, system design, domain controllers, and sensors. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas new energy vehicle maker, Li Auto is confident in achieving zero-emission in urban areas in China, its founder and CEO, Li Xiang, said at the China EV100 Forum. Photo credit: Li Auto Fossil-fueled vehicles strength lies in its massive range option, while money-saving and the convenience of recharging are the strong suits of electric vehicles. As an extended range vehicle maker, Li Auto strives to make it possible for its users to have it both ways. Currently, Li Autos only PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) on the market, the Li ONE offers a maximum NEDC range of 118km, enough for everyday use in cities. Li Autos data showed that in the past two years, the pure-electric usage mileage among its users in major cities averaged 70%. The pure-electric usage time averaged over 80%. In an effort to achieve the ultimate 100% in-city electricity usage goal, Li Auto is introducing a new product with an optimized battery range of more than 200 km. Meanwhile, it also lifted its thermal efficiency by 15% and lowered the consumption of long-distance trips. The automaker is fairly confident to cut down its users fossil fuel usage to zero percent in cities. Li Xiang explained that a long range and intelligent solution will help Li Auto achieve the goal. In core city areas, the solution will disable the range extension system, allowing a fully-electric usage. It is doable, Li Xiang added, we have been testing the solution for months and it is very effective. Notably, Li Xiang mentioned that finding a clean energy source as a substitute for fossil fuel is inevitable in the future. LOS ANGELES (AP) The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday condemned the actions of Will Smith during Sunday nights Oscars and launched an inquiry into his slapping of presenter Chris Rock. In a statement Monday, the film academy said: The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last nights show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our bylaws, standards of conduct and California law. The fallout from Smith's onstage assault continued Monday, as Hollywood and the public continued to wrestle with a moment that stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home, and may have passed all others even that gold-standard flub, EnvelopeGate in Academy Awards infamy. Smith stunned the Dolby Theatre crowd and viewers at home when he took the stage during Rock's remarks after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, Smith's wife. Rock said, Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, cant wait to see it. The joke touched a nerve. Pinkett Smith, whose head is shaved, has spoken publicly about her alopecia diagnosis. Smith strode on stage and slapped Rock across the face. Back in his seat, Smith twice shouted for Rock to get my wifes name out your (expletive) mouth. His words echoed clearly throughout the Dolby, though ABC cut the audio for about 15 seconds. Within an hour, Smith won best actor. During his acceptance speech, Smith apologized to the academy. After the show Sunday night, the academy posted a statement condemning violence. The Los Angeles Police Department said Sunday it was aware of the incident but not pursuing an investigation because the person involved declined to file a police report. Some academy members, like writer-producer Marshall Herskovitz, called for the academy to take disciplinary action against Smith. He disgraced our entire community tonight, wrote Herskovitz on Twitter. Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the Academys board of governors, said Monday on The View: Were not going to take that Oscar from him. There will be consequences, Im sure. A sense of disbelief hung in the air at the Dolby Theatre after Smiths assault, and it didn't dissipate Monday. Not only was it a hard-to-fathom break with decorum on live national television an incident so dramatic, even movie-like, that many initially assumed it was a staged bit it seemed wildly out of character for one of Hollywoods most relentlessly upbeat stars. All of this less than an hour before Smith reached possibly the climactic moment of his career, winning his first Oscar, for best actor. In a way, I feel bad for Will Smith, too, because I think he let his emotions get the better of him, and this should have been one of the great nights of his life, said former Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel on Bill Simmons podcast. And now its not. Was there anyone who didnt like Will Smith an hour ago in the world? Like no one, right? Now he doesnt have a single comedian friend thats for sure. Some questioned whether Smith should have been allowed to continue to sit front and center after smacking Rock. Several stars rushed to counsel and calm Smith, including Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry. But the timing was also awkward because the best actor category was due up soon after, and Smith had long been considered a lock for the award. I know were all still processing, but the way casual violence was normalized tonight by a collective national audience will have consequences that we cant even fathom in the moment, wrote Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, on Twitter. The joke that provoked Smith was not part of Rocks routine during the rehearsals leading up to the show, according to two sources close to production who was not authorized to speak publicly. Rock had joked about Pinkett Smith before. He hosted the 2016 Oscars, when some were boycotting the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Said Rock: Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihannas panties. I wasnt invited. In the press room backstage, where winners take a few questions from the media, the academy tried to stifle questions about the incident, at one point stopping Jessica Chastain from talking about it. But that didnt prevent the moment from overwhelming talk at the Oscar afterparties and beyond. Some came to Smiths defense, including Tiffany Haddish, who co-starred with Pinkett Smith in Girls Trip. Maybe the world might not like how it went down, but for me, it was the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen because it made me believe that there are still men out there that love and care about their women, their wives, Haddish told People magazine. Smith, meanwhile, merrily posed for photographs with his family outside the Vanity Fair party. Inside, cell phone videos captured him dancing to Gettin Jiggy Wit It while clutching his Oscar. Their son Jaden tweeted: And Thats How We Do It. On Instagram, Smith posted: Me n Jada Pinkett Smith got all dressed up to choose chaos. The drama overshadowed some historical wins at an Oscars. The deaf family drama CODA became the first film with a largely deaf cast to win best picture. For the first time, a streaming service, Apple TV+, took Hollywoods top honor, signaling a profound shift in Hollywood and in moviegoing. Ariana DeBose of West Side Story became the first Afro-Latina and the first openly LGBTQ actor to win best supporting actress. But as stunning as Smiths slap was, it wasnt shocking that such a pivotal moment in the actors life would play out in the public eye. Particularly in recent years, Smith has been among the most candid of stars. While Pinkett Smiths Facebook series Red Table Talk has been a platform for airing family drama, Smith has chronicled his own journey in the YouTube series The Best Shape in My Life, which included one episode documenting Smith discussing his regrets as a parent with his children. Smith also penned, with personal-growth author Mark Manson, the memoir Will, published earlier this year. (It rocketed up Amazon sales rankings Monday to No. 32.) In it, he described how he was molded by his loving but hard-drinking and militaristic father. In one chapter, he recalls as a 9-year-old seeing him hit his mother. Guilt at not protecting his mother, Smith wrote, left with complicated feelings that he connects with fueling his own rise in show business. When his father was elderly and confined to a wheelchair, Smith confessed feeling an impulse to push him down a staircase. My personal journey into the depths of the joys and traumas of my past are definitely helping me to expand and build out a greater emotional toolbox that will allow me to portray more complex characters, Smith said last fall in an interview with The Associated Press. For Smith, playing Richard Williams, father to Venus and Serena, in King Richard brought together all of these deep-rooted emotions and it won him the Oscar. It also might have compelled his actions Sunday. Art imitates life, Smith said accepting the award. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams. Associated Press Writers Lindsey Bahr and Hillel Italie contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 US President Joe Biden wrapped up his visit to Europe on Saturday. During his four-day trip, Biden engaged in intensive diplomatic events focusing on the Ukraine crisis. He attended summits of NATO, G7 and EU. However, after so many summits with the aim to strengthen the role of so-called trans-Atlantic alliance, no actual measure was put forward to promote peace and talks - not even a public statement. In contrast, Biden motivated the enhancement of sanctions on Russia, striving to prevent his European allies from falling back on this issue. Besides, the joint statement, which demonstrates Washington's stance, even took an aim at China, demanding that China cooperate with the West's sanctions. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previously set redlines. He told reporters that China and every significant economy should not take advantage of business opportunities created by sanctions, help Moscow evade export controls or process its banned financial transactions. As the initiator of the Ukraine crisis, the US is trying to push the entire world into its huge trap. The US has lured and threatened developing countries including China, attempting to make the international community share the responsibilities and consequences of the crisis. Nevertheless, it must be pointed out that no other country is obligated to pay the price for the crisis created by the US and that Washington is not qualified to set redlines for other countries. During Biden's trip to Europe, the US and the EU signed a historic agreement on?liquefied?natural gas, in a bid to reduce?Europe's?reliance on Russian energy. But many Western media expressed pessimism about the deal because the US doesn't have enough capacity to export more gas, so the deal will be largely symbolic. This is the strategic risk Washington is happy to take: It has only the ambition to create chaos but has no intent to clean up the mess. From Afghanistan to Iraq and Syria, the US has left the world in too many messes. After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US has continued to escalate sanctions against Russia and coerce the world to choose sides, adding to the hardship of global economic recovery and causing undue damage to the livelihoods of all countries. People see that the US is turning into a deformed giant, with an arm of sanctions or even war used to suppress others becoming exceptionally developed, and the arm of peace and development becoming greatly atrophied and degenerated. This has led Washington to claim to oppose war while waging war on all fronts, and to claim to maintain peace while wantonly destroying it. In the 1990s, former US diplomat George Kennan, known as the "father of containment," warned that "expanding NATO would be the most fatal error of American policy in the entire post-cold-war era." If NATO's expansion is the decision of politicians with a penchant for zero-sum games, then Washington has to face the reality that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Although the US has a muscular arm to suppress others, it is still facing an increasingly stretched dilemma, and it cannot weave a network of sanctions against Russia alone. It needs the firm support of its allies, as well as the broad cooperation of non-Western countries. That's why warning China not to support Russia has become a deliberately prominent issue in Washington, while pulling in its allies to reinforce sanctions against Russia. Thus, it continues to suppress China, which it considers its strategic rival, while expecting China to cooperate with it in sanctioning Russia. Of course, there is a deeper reason for this: The US would rather have a two-front war against China and Russia, lest China be given a strategic respite. There are waves of smears against China from the US to prevent it from staying out of this trouble. The US has long sought enemies around the globe, and even if there is none, it creates one. We might remind Washington that the established?powers are often not defeated by emerging powers, but dragged down by the cost of maintaining hegemony. Recently, the US wanted to kick Russia out of the G20, but several countries have clearly expressed their opposition. Today's world is no longer in the era when a few countries like the US can hoodwink the public; most countries will not join the "self-mutilating game" by helping the US maintain its hegemony. Jefferson Community Health and Life CEO Burke Kline, DHA, CHFP, FACHE, has been named an Admiral in the Nebraska Navy. With the honor he has been invited to join the Nebraska Admirals Association. The title of Admiral in the Nebraska Navy may be conferred by the governor on any worthy Nebraskan, who must nominated by a Nebraskan. The Great Navy of the State of Nebraska was created in 1930 by Lt. Gov. T.W. Metcalfe. The governors website states: Admirals in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska are individuals who have contributed in some way to the state, promote the Good Life in Nebraska, and warrant recognition as determined by the governor. The certificate Kline receives reads: and knowing you to be a good person and a loyal friend and counselor, I have nominated and do appoint you an Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska. The certificate is signed by Gov. Pete Ricketts. Among the goals of the Nebraska Admirals Association is to continue efforts to have U.S. Navy ships named after Nebraska, its people and places. There have been 40 so far. Other goals include promoting tourism and products, to promote education, to enhance agriculture, and to build Nebraska pride. Kline said he does not know who nominated him for the Admiralship, but is grateful for the honor. Im proud to now be an Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska, Dr. Kline said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Editor's note: Valley Credit Union and The Billings Gazette are featuring 32 seniors throughout the 2021-2022 school year. We want to help students who are not typically eligible for scholarships and financial aid awarded to those attending a 4-year program. At the end of the year, Valley will award one $5,000 grant to a deserving student. To be considered for the grant, students must show a clear career path for their future after high school in the form of an industry certification, technical associates degree, City College, trade school or apprenticeship. Students are nominated by a teacher, counselor, or principal from their high school. Madeline F. Thompson Billings Senior High School What are your plans after high school? There was a slight miscommunication; I dont have my pilot license yet, but I am about three months from gaining it. After I have gained it, I am going to get my Teaching Certification for Aviation, start teaching students, and will begin my journey towards working for ATC: Air Traffic Control. I dont plan on going to college because it is an expense I cant afford and dont need it to complete my career goals. I believe that every day is a lesson in life and I am excited to learn in the workplace, on my own and in the sky. What is your favorite class in school and why? I love my art and music classes. I believe that art, in any format, is not only the highest form of expression but the greatest communication tool in human history. We connect ideas, express emotions and tell stories through art and music. They are the connectors of cultures. I am very proud to be a representative of this ideal. Not only does music demand dedication but also requires a sense of group work. We have a saying: one band - one sound, and it demands community effort. I love being independent yet so intertwined with my fellow peers. Who inspires you and why? My dad inspires me every day. He wasnt the top of his graduating class, didnt attend college, dealt with an absent father and his mothers disability yet owns his own business. He has worked hard every single day of his life and has fought long and hard to give my sister and I a better future. He also is our plumber, electrician and owns/manages rental property. He built our deck in the backyard, taught me to drive and has been one of my biggest supporters. No matter how he feels, physically or mentally, he perseveres. I admire his tenacity, respect, morality and general demeanor. My dad is my hero and I wouldnt be who I am without him. What are some things you enjoy outside of school? I enjoy flying and learning about Montana history. I love history and Montana has one of the richest and most diverse history in the western states. Any chance I get, Ill travel to a museum, state park or forest service station. I also enjoy working with children. I teach children of all ages how to swim and am going to work with my mother on art education. She owns a small studio downtown where she helps children with learning disabilities and will start art camps for the summer. What would make you feel successful in your career/work after school? Being able to live a productive life. I dont want to spend my years milling around and doing nothing. Of course I want to enjoy life, but I want to work with vigor and be self-sufficient. If you win the $5,000 grant, how will you use the money to help you reach your goals? I would put it mainly towards the rest of my flight education - purchasing material, paying for lessons, etc - and put it towards the beginnings of an apartment. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring three things, what three things would you bring and why? A piano, a radio (assuming it works), and an undying pen. I love the piano; learning written music is enjoyable in itself but being alone would allow me to practice endlessly, write my own songs and be more in tune, pun intended, with myself. I live for radio stations. Talk shows, NPR, or even a music station would help me focus and keep me sane. Finally, I could draw till the end of time and an undying pen would be the secret to that dream. Do you have personal motto or inspirational saying that motivates you that you would like to share? Buy the ticket. Take the ride, by Hunter S. Thompson Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The latest North Dakota coronavirus news: airport assistance, food help, court hearings and more. Airport aid The Bismarck Airport is getting more aid through the federal CARES Act economic rescue package. The Federal Aviation Administration is giving the airport $800,000 to construct a 320-foot access road, according to U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. The road will provide additional access to the corporate general aviation hangar area, he said. Bismarcks airport earlier in the pandemic was awarded more than $20 million through the CARES Act. Court hearings The South Central Judicial District is gradually returning to in-person court hearings. The court in January returned to remote hearings for all trials and many other criminal and civil proceedings, as COVID-19 cases spiked due to the omicron variant wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Cases have since plummeted, and judges have reviewed procedures and decided on a gradual movement back to in-person hearings. The court no longer requires masks for in-person hearings but strongly suggests their use. The South Central Judicial District comprises Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sioux and Sheridan counties. It has judges chambered in Bismarck, Mandan and Washburn. Mobile food pantry Trucks carrying fresh vegetables, bakery items and boxed goods will make four stops in western North Dakota on Wednesday. Food through the Great Plains Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry is available at no cost to those in need. Scheduled stops are: Richardton, St. Marys Social Center parking lot, 12-1 p.m. Belfield, Belfield-Medora Food Pantry, 3-5 p.m. Dickinson, Biesiot Activities Center, 3-5 p.m. Glen Ullin, Community Food Pantry, 5:30 p.m. until gone. Listed times are local time. The Mobile Food Pantry in 2020 served more than 1 million meals at 89 sites. Farm help The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting grant applications for the Technical Assistance Investment Program funded through American Rescue Plan coronavirus aid. The goal is to provide historically underserved farmers and ranchers with technical support in accessing USDA programs and services. USDAs National Institute of Food and Agriculture will use at least $25 million to fund the effort, which will involve partnerships with nonprofits and higher education institutions. The deadline to submit applications is June 1. For more information, go to https://bit.ly/3pRLOfh. Testing and vaccines A comprehensive list of free public COVID-19 testing offered in North Dakota can be found at health.nd.gov/covidtesting. That site also lists where free at-home test kits are being offered. People can go to https://www.ndvax.org or call 866-207-2880 to see where COVID-19 vaccine is available near them. County-level COVID-19 risks determined by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at https://bit.ly/3Clifrq. Guidance and resources for businesses are at https://bit.ly/3w0DpKj. General information is at https://www.health.nd.gov/diseases-conditions/coronavirus. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 South Dakotas anti-abortion lawmakers and the states only abortion provider are poised to turn their fight to accessing abortion over state lines if the U.S. Supreme Court follows through on a draft opinion that overturns the 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. A decision to overrule Roe would trigger a 2005 law that outlaws abortions in the state. That would not be enough for Gov. Kristi Noem. The Republican governor promised on Twitter late Monday that she would call a special legislative session if Roe is overturned. Planned Parenthood North Central States has been planning how to help abortion seekers travel to states where the procedure is legal. Passenger traffic at commercial service airports in North Dakota last month outpaced boardings in February 2021 by 57% but remained below levels before the coronavirus pandemic. The 80,552 passengers compared with 51,240 in February 2021 and 105,144 in February 2020, the month before the pandemic struck, according to figures from the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. The February 2019 figure was 93,335. The airports in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Devils Lake, Jamestown, Dickinson and Williston all saw passenger increases last month, ranging from 43% in Devils Lake to 156% in Dickinson. Bismarck had a jump of 44%. Hector International in Fargo, the state's largest airport, saw an increase of 57%. Williston's rise was 69%. All airports saw declines from February 2019. Bismarck's drop was 22%. Boardings in North Dakota nosedived to a historic low of about 5,000 -- or 5% of the normal expected traffic -- in April 2020, a month after the pandemic began. They've since trended in a positive direction. But airlines continue to struggle with workforce shortages, fleet availability, and a lack of business and international travel demand, according to state Aeronautics Commissioner Kyle Wanner. SkyWest Airlines recently asked the federal government to allow it to stop subsidized service to 29 cities around the country, including Devils Lake and Jamestown, citing pilot staffing problems. The U.S. Department of Transportation ordered the airline to continue serving the cities under its Essential Air Service contract until a replacement service is found. SkyWest is under contract to provide air service to the two North Dakota cities through June 2023. Wanner said the commission was disappointed with the situation but appreciative of the government's response. We look forward to working with our communities, our airline partners, and our congressional delegation to identify potential solutions to these challenges, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 North Dakota is challenging the federal governments awarding of lucrative mineral rights under a Missouri River reservoir to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, otherwise known as the Three Affiliated Tribes. The state attorney generals office said Friday that it notified the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., that it plans to intervene in the tribes lawsuit against the federal government. The Interior Department ruled in February that the tribes own the rights, in what has been a long-running dispute. At stake is an estimated $100 million in unpaid royalties and future payments certain to come from oil drilling. The government dammed the river in the 1950s, flooding more than a tenth of the tribes' reservation and creating the reservoir. Republicans have endorsed legislative candidates for a redrawn district encompassing Emmons County and much of Burleigh County. Two incumbent lawmakers vying for the district's Senate seat will take their contest to the June GOP primary. District 8 Republicans met Saturday in Hazelton and endorsed Rep. Jeff Magrum, R-Hazelton, for Senate, and SuAnn Olson, of Baldwin, and Brandon Prichard, of Bismarck, for House. Magrum is a rancher and master plumber first elected in 2016. Olson is a certified public accountant. Prichard is an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesotas Law School and School of Public Policy. Rep. Dave Nehring, R-Bismarck, who owns a habitat planting business, also sought the Senate endorsement. He was elected to the House in 2020. Engineer Mike Berg, of rural Burleigh County, and technology consultant Scott McCarthy, of Bismarck, also vied for House endorsements. "And they're all really good candidates," District 8 GOP Chairwoman Shanda Morgan said of the six contenders. Party endorsement is not required to run in the June primary, which is when voters will determine political parties' nominees for the November general election. Nehring told the Tribune on Monday he "absolutely" will run in the primary, along with Berg and McCarthy, all three of whom "decided early on in our campaign that we would go to the primary." "We are the conservative choice for the hardworking folks in the communities of District 8," he said. "Voters should decide who their nominees are, and we are eager to give the entirety of District 8 Republican voters that choice in June." Magrum said "the good people of District 8 have spoken in favor of" him, Olson and Prichard. "The chosen team is distributed throughout the district as far as logistics very well and we represent the people well with the diversity that we have," he said. The reapportioned district has no incumbent senator because of how the Legislature drew its map in decennial redistricting last fall. Magrum and Nehring landed as the only incumbents in the redrawn district. Morgan said the convention was smooth and ran well. Some Bismarck district GOP conventions last month saw squabbling over party fees and confusion over bylaws. The District 8 Senate endorsement had 252 ballots cast; the House endorsements had 237, Morgan said. The difference was due to some people leaving. People came from all over the district that stretches from Wilton to the South Dakota border, she said. "Were feeling positive about the unity in District 8, and we look forward to the future and working with all of our constituents," Morgan said. Democrats have not endorsed candidates for District 8. North Dakota's dominant Republican Party meets Friday and Saturday in Bismarck for its state convention, during which delegates will endorse candidates for statewide and congressional races. April 11 is the filing deadline for candidates for the June election. Ninety-eight seats in the Legislature are on the ballot this year, more than is usual due to redistricting. Republicans control the House of Representatives 80-14 and the Senate 40-7. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up or thumbs down on the issues from the past week. Up The Bismarck Police Department is looking to implement a body camera system next year. It's a logical move, and a good one. Body cameras can help suspects who aren't treated appropriately, and it can also protect officers from false allegations. Deputy Police Chief Jason Stugelmeyer says use of the equipment has become generally expected of police departments around the country. And most other area law enforcement agencies already have the technology or are in the process of getting it. Systems demonstrated to the Bismarck Police Department carry price tags of $250,000 to $300,000 per year on a five-year contract. We think it's well worth the cost. Down A White House report says Native Americans still face many barriers when it comes to a basic American right -- voting. The Biden administration's report comes a year after the president issued an executive order promoting voting rights and establishing a steering committee to look at particular barriers to voting in Indigenous communities. The administration has called on Congress to pass voting rights legislation focused on Native Americans. Unfortunately, those bills are going nowhere. North Dakota has taken steps to address the issue of Native American voting rights but only after tribes sued. A federal judge in 2020 approved an agreement between the state and tribes settling a dispute over the states voter identification requirements that at one point reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Up State officials have unveiled a new grant program making $15 million available to help address North Dakota's workforce needs. The North Dakota Regional Workforce Impact Program makes good use of federal coronavirus aid the state has received. It should boost the work of economic development organizations, cities, chambers of commerce, job development authorities and regional councils. The money is being doled out by region, based on population. The region that includes Burleigh and Morton counties is in line for more than $3 million -- the second-largest amount. Gov. Doug Burgum says workforce challenges remain the state's top barrier to economic growth. This program should be a step toward addressing that. Down The effort to put a term limits measure before North Dakota voters appears to be in shambles. And possibly fraught with fraud. The proposed measure would impose term limits on the governor and state lawmakers. But Secretary of State Al Jaeger has disqualified it from the ballot due to what he says are problems with petition signatures. He says some of the alleged violations might be criminal. Measure Chairman Jared Hendrix says supporters "will pursue every legal avenue for challenging this decision." This has the potential to get messy. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Republican Madison Cawthorn just couldn't help himself, tattling on Washington colleagues that he's "looked up to" for enjoying themselves with cocaine and a good ol' fashioned orgy now and then. When asked how TV's "House of Cards" compared to real life, he said it's all true. "The sexual perversion that goes on in Washington, I mean, being kind of a young guy in Washington, average age is probably 60 or 70 A lot of them that I've looked up to through my life," the lawmaker from North Carolina said to YouTube's "Warrior Poet Society" host John Lovell (video below). "Then all of a sudden, you get invited to, 'Oh, hey, we're going to have a sexual get-together at one of our homes, you should come. Then you realized they're asking you to come to an orgy. "Or the fact that, you know, some of the people that are leading on the movement to try and remove addiction in our country and then you watch them do, you know, a key bump of cocaine right in front of you and it's like, wow, this is wild." In Cawthorn's world, who needs enemies when you have people you've always looked up to at close range? Caddy's Bradenton Island restaurant in Tampa, Florida has cancelled the "going to prison" party that US Capitol rioter Adam Johnson was planning to host. You'll recall that Johnson was the gentleman famously photographed absconding with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's lectern on January 6, 2021. A restaurant manager told local news that they cancelled the party after hearing of a Facebook post promoting the event. "Come help me celebrate my last Friday of freedom before I go to prison for the lamest charge in history," read the post. From WKBN: Stephen Ananicz, the general manager of Caddy's, said in a statement to WFLA after news of the cancellation spread that Caddy's was not aware of the event, however. "Caddy's Bradenton is a family-friendly waterfront restaurant that had no knowledge of a 'going to prison' event being planned at its location," Ananicz said in a statement sent to WFLA.com Friday afternoon. "This event was never discussed or planned with anyone associated with the Caddy's brand." Ananicz said that in the wake of reports about the restaurant cancelling Johnson's event, multiple staff members had received abusive or threatening messages via email and social media. Roman Abramovich and a team of peace negotiators are suffering from symptoms of poising after attending a meeting in Kyiv in early March. Sources told The Wall Steet Journal that Abramovich and the others have "red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands." The peace negotiators say they were poisoned by "hard-liners in Moscow" in an attempt to sabotage negotiations. From The Wall Street Journal: In 2018, Britain blamed Russia's intelligence services for a nerve-agent attack on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military officer who defected to the United Kingdom, and his daughter Yulia. Both survived, as did a British police officer hospitalized after contact with the poison. A British woman later died after accidentally coming into contact with the nerve agent. The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the Skripal poisoning. Mr. Abramovich, who has longstanding links to President Vladimir Putin, became involved in attempts to end the war in Ukraine shortly after Moscow launched the invasion on Feb. 24, people familiar with the matter said. More than $17 million in federal emergency relief has arrived at three of Western New York's largest health care systems, lessening the blow of pandemic-induced financial pain a little bit, anyway. The grants, made through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, break down like this: Kaleida Health received $7.59 million, which supports the purchase of personal protective equipment and the rental of patient ventilators. Catholic Health System received just a touch less, at $7.57 million, which provides reimbursement for personal protective equipment, including face masks, gowns, head and foot coverings, disinfectant and other supplies. And Erie County Medical Center got $1.95 million to go toward emergency protective measures for staff, patients and visitors at its main hospital campus and several outside clinics. The grant supports the costs of various supplies, including thermometers, nebulizers, N95 masks and cleaning supplies. The funding for ECMC and Kaleida was released by FEMA on Thursday, according to Rep. Brian Higgins' office, which announced the funding Monday. Catholic Health's funds were released a few weeks ago, but hadn't yet been publicly announced. "The pandemic has presented uncertainty, fear, challenges and risks many of us never imagined," Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, said in a statement. "Thankfully, Western New York is home to a strong network of hospitals filled with the most dedicated health care providers and staff, who have worked tirelessly and compassionately to help get this community through such a difficult time," he said. "These federal resources provide a level of reimbursement for the unanticipated expenses hospitals and health centers incurred to keep people safe." Kaleida Health's pandemic-related losses near $230 million and it wants its insurer to cover it It's yet further proof of the financial beating that WNY's hospitals endured during the pandemic, already margin-challenged due to this region's high concentration of Medicaid and Medicare patients and the lower reimbursements that accompany them. The FEMA funding is the latest federal relief that Western New York's hospitals have collected. That relief, while substantial, has not completely covered the health systems' operating losses. Kaleida and its affiliated Upper Allegheny Health System, for one, received about $110.5 million in federal relief, according to federal databases. In recent court filings, however, Kaleida attorneys wrote the health system's Covid-related losses are estimated at near $230 million. Catholic Health, even after factoring in $87 million in federal relief, logged back-to-back years of operating losses, totaling more than $230 million. And ECMC, too, is well over $100 million in pandemic-related losses. Jon Harris can be reached at 716-849-3482 or jharris@buffnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByJonHarris. Buffalo Next Must-read local business coverage that exposes the trends, connects the dots and contextualizes the impact to Buffalo's economy. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A plan for a new emergency shelter for homeless men on Buffalo's East Side is moving ahead after the city agreed to sell 16 properties at the corner of Sycamore and Miller streets to a spinoff from St. Luke's Mission of Mercy. Build Promise which started as part of the independent Catholic missionary group founded by Amy Betros and Norm Paolini wants to build a community wellness and transition center for homeless men, using 1.3 acres of vacant land across from St. Luke's current facility at 1274 Sycamore and 325 Walden Ave. The Fillmore District site is on a Metro bus line, which already transports homeless people to St. Luke's, so the new venture "would create a cohesive network of support for the underserved members of the community, within mere feet of each other," according to a memo to the Common Council, which approved the $29,600 sale this week, following an independent appraisal. There are already multiple facilities serving homeless women and children, but not as many devoted to men, with only 190 beds around the city, according to St. Luke's and the Homeless Alliance of Western New York. But there are far more homeless men than women and children, said Kathleen Mattar, chair of the steering committee for Build Promise, and a board member and longtime volunteer for St. Lukes. And its expected to get much worse, Mattar said. The Homeless Alliance predicts that there will be a big increase in homelessness, with 68% of affected people being men. "The men need a place to sleep, so we're going to respond to that need," said Mattar. Build Promise is an independent nonprofit that was launched out of St. Luke's for this purpose, but is legally separate. Designed for free by Scheid Architectural, the 21,000-square-foot temporary and transitional shelter facility would feature 120 semi-private suites in half the building, as well as a commercial laundry for linens, and shower and locker-room facilities. It would serve men seeking a place to stay overnight as they transition away from homelessness. The facility's Opportunity Center would offer space for local partners to offer additional wellness, education and other social services for the men staying there but also for other men, women and children from surrounding inner-city neighborhoods. While such help already exists elsewhere in Buffalo, the homeless people that St. Luke's serves can't get to them, Mattar said. About 14 other agencies and partners have brought their programs to the East Side neighborhood, including Mental Health Advocates, Catholic Charities, the Veterans Administration, the Statler Foundation and volunteer doctors, dentists and nurses. The building would also act as a "Code Blue Shelter" for emergency accommodations, food and clothing for up to 170 homeless men during the winter when temperatures fall below freezing in the city, using about 70 flexible cots that it could deploy in the building if needed. Build Promise is undertaking a $6 million capital campaign to fund the project. Buffalo Next Must-read local business coverage that exposes the trends, connects the dots and contextualizes the impact to Buffalo's economy. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In Sarah Ruhls play, Stage Kiss, two actors named only He and She, are former lovers who went through a bitter breakup years ago. Now, they unexpectedly find themselves cast as a couple who had gone through a bitter breakup years ago. Tawdry life comically imitates hackneyed art when they fall in love all over again. She decides to abandon her husband and daughter and runs off to live with He in his slovenly apartment. The vehicle that reunites them is a stale 1930s melodrama about a society woman who, when told she has just one month to live, informs her husband that she wants to see the love of her youth one last time. The man is now a successful sculptor in Sweden. Hubby is a good sport about it. There are differences between life and fiction, as He is not a world-renowned artist, but kind of a loser. And unlike the unwitting husband of fiction, this ladys husband knows her all too well. The cast of the Irish Classical Theatre Company production delves into the silly antics of life, and uproariously antiquated language of 1930s Broadway with gusto. Hokey stage accents and overwrought emotions are rewarded with peals of laughter, as our main characters passionately make one bad decision after another. Tracie Lane and Guy Balotine are winningly cast as She and He. Balotine, a British-born actor with a litany of stage credits, and Lane, a recent Juilliard graduate (Group 48, for those who follow Juilliard) click into a series of theater cliches, from 1930s high drama to a ridiculous social drama in which a Brooklyn prostitute meets a member of the Irish Republican Army. They know these and other well-worn theatrical tropes too well. Lane is an uncommonly charismatic actor who plays a character often awkwardly ill at ease with effortless and straightforward clarity. She takes this woman from her overeager and self-conscious audition in the opening scene to the befuddlement of her stunned and unhappy realization that her leading man is a former lover and to the bursts of hostility and passive aggressiveness that soon evolve into unbridled passion. Lane is a formidable actor and her confident arrival on the Buffalo theater scene is a delightful occasion. After weeks of rehearsal and kiss after kiss, She finds that she is unable to distinguish between her stage kisses with He, and authentic affection. It turns out that He cant either. To deploy the overly dramatic language of the play, they are ludicrously, overbearingly, desperately in love all over again. Balotine provides the perfect acting/romantic partner to Lane. He becomes Noel to her Gertie and eagerly joins her as they hilariously ride that crazy pink cloud to the end of the rainbow. There are echoes of true Noel Coward comedy in this sprawling affair. In plays like Private Lives, Blithe Spirit and Design for Living, the reunion of former lovers was a Coward specialty. But while Coward always imbued these escapades with a sense of driving purpose, Ruhl is depending on heavy doses of inside theatrical humor that she pushes rather hard. On the palpable plus side, however, is Ruhls master hand in finding humor within language, and as performed by this skillful cast, under the lavishly indulgent direction of Fortunato Pezzimenti, this is a treat. Kevin Craig returns to the Buffalo stage as the understudy for the play within the play. Blessed with an adorable stage presence and a gift for comedy, his ardent lunges into a succession of rehearsed staged kisses are hysterical. His every line and gesture are wonderfully funny. Marisa Caruso, another gifted comic, is marvelous as the Midwestern soon-to-be-dumped schoolteacher girlfriend of He. Caruso creates a sunny down-home confection of June Cleaver meets Gidget, that quickly morphs into passive aggressive Medea. Its sublime. Greg Howze plays the eager and dedicated director who has abundant self-confidence but little taste. His devoted seriousness makes his characters cluelessness all the funnier. Christine Turturro plays Shes daughter, the inevitable teenager who speaks truth to parent, alternating between withering sting and lovable vulnerability. Like Caruso and Craig, she does equally well, doubling as other characters. Dashing and charming Rolando Gomez plays both the fictional and real-life husbands, expertly giving the former, over-the-top histrionics, and the latter, deceptive reasonability. This is the character, who, when all is said and done, will claim the titular stage kiss, and it is great fun to travel Ruhls meandering road with him to get there. Indeed, this production provides an irresistible romp through a guilty pleasure of a play. Theater review 3.5 stars (out of 4) Presented by Irish Classical Theatre Company through April 24. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 3 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. An American Sign Language-interpreted and open-captioned performance is at 7:30 p.m. April 20. Tickets are $20 to $49 at the box office and by calling 853-4282 or emailing boxoffice@irishclassical.com. Proof of Covid-19 vaccination and ID required. Masks must be worn inside the theater building and throughout the performance. 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. Aiming to bring a touch of the Amalfi Coast to Buffalo, Jay Manno, veteran of the Chippewa Strip nightlife business and owner of Soho, opened Frankie Primos +39 in 2015. The finer-dining focus on quality ingredients and careful cooking, augmented by its grotto-like patio where folks could linger in the shade over a glass of wine and a pizza, helped make Frankies a hit. A year ago, Manno brought the Frankie Primos +39 swagger to North Tonawanda. The former Crazy Jakes, a block south of the Riviera Theatre, includes a spacious dining room lined with a bar. Outside, strung with lights, is a deck big enough to land carrier jets. When summer eases back into town, it will be a prime perch for patio parties. Sunday brunch, offering temptations like lemon ricotta pancakes and spicy tomato-sauced eggs in purgatory, starts at 11 a.m. In North Tonawanda, Frankies offers the same potent combination of pasta, pizza and paisano pleasures as its downtown original. Consider peperoni arrostiti ($14), roasted bell peppers and toasted pine nuts, served on garlicky grilled bread. A splash of balsamic, room-freshening chiffonade of basil, and its a simple combination made satisfying. Deftly handled vegetables make soulful appetizers, part two: Carciofi alla romana, ($14). These long-stem artichoke hearts, split and roasted under a drift of golden, garlicky breadcrumbs, then spritzed with the accompanying charred lemon, made me offer a prayer for the first farmer to domesticate the thistle. Executive chef James Volpe, already a Frankie Primos veteran before the North Tonawanda expansion, faithfully reproduces the charms of the Chippewa original. That includes one of Buffalos best calamari plates ($15). Tender rings and tentacles in a pale but savory coat get dueling flavor boosts for your dipping pleasure: pesto aioli alive with the promise of summer, and brightly fruity San Marzano tomato sauce. Another all-city favorite is the finoccio e rucola ($14), a refreshing fennel arugula salad with fresh-cut supremes of orange and grapefruit, shaved Parmigiano and citrus dressing. Bitter, sweet, tart, juicy and savory, all in a low-fat package so stuffed with vitamins it should come with its own nutrition panel. The cavolo Toscano ($14), a kale salad with currants, toasted pine nuts, pecorino Romano and lemon vinaigrette, was another well-balanced vegetation excursion, with a side of extra meditative chewing, thanks to the kale. Brick-oven pizza is another strength that traveled well from Chippewa. If you still havent gotten enough salad, consider the uova e tartufo pizza ($21), a prosciutto and fresh mozzarella pie, dabbed with truffle oil, wreathed with arugula hiding a fried egg. A fontina-cheese-based portobello and sundried tomato pie ($18), verdant with spinach and fresh oregano, was a vegetarian winner that expertly exploited the crisp-to-the-edge crust. Meaty choices include a racy combination of salami-like cured soppressata ($21), spicy sauce, cherry pepper tapenade, dotted with fresh ricotta and basil pesto, and dusted with pecorino Romano. Pastas are the other choices anchoring the dinner menu, with one housemade option, ricotta gnocchi ($24). These dumplings werent the Tootsie Roll types, but folded pasta ears, like pudgy orecchiette. Pleasantly toothsome under a light coat of fruity tomato, capped with a grating of ricotta salata, this was simple sophistication. Another straightforward pleaser was tagliatelle funghi ($24), sauteed mushrooms and ribbons of truffle pasta in a light cream sauce, robust and unspoiled by truffle oil. The big swing on the menu is tortellini bistecca ($34), a char-grilled slice of ribeye steak presented on a bed of cheese-stuffed tortellini. The pasta, enriched with a chianti-fontina cream and roasted portobello mushrooms, also gathers juices from the steak as you proceed, further ennobling the sauce with smoky character. Other pasta takes include pappardelle with braised pork, chianti and hazelnuts ($25); penne ($20) with smoked pulled chicken, sweet and spicy peppers, and plum tomatoes; and bucatini allAmatriciana ($20), tube spaghetti in spicy tomato sauce porky with pancetta. Risotto di gamberetti ($30), glossy rice punctuated with peas hiding an abbondanza of plump, gently sweet crustaceans, was amiably cheesy, but I wished the grain had more bite. Otherwise, this was a meal of precision cooking. Desserts ($10) are housemade, notably including a rethought tiramisu of enriched mascarpone and ladyfingers stacked into a canning jar, and lemon mascarpone cake that was both sunshiny-bright and sinfully rich. Service was swift and sure in the half-filled dining room. Instead of mints with the bill, dinner at Frankie Primos North ends on a particularly Italian grace note, complimentary shots of limoncello and giugiuleni, thumb-sized cookies crusted in toasted sesame seeds. If youre fed up with the usual Italian-American, and are making a list of new places to try in North Tonawandas summer season, put Frankie Primos first. Frankie Primos +39 North 26 Webster St., North Tonawanda (755-3739, frankieprimos39.com) Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Prices: antipasti and panini, $12-$17; pastas, $20-$34; pizza, $17-$21. Ambiance: amiable buzz Parking: street Wheelchair accessible: yes Gluten-free: many options Outdoor seating: glorious deck on tap. Send restaurant tips to agalarneau@buffnews.com and follow @BuffaloFood on Instagram and Twitter. The Buffalo News: Food & Drink Get what you need to know about Western New York's dining and bar scene, including restaurant openings and closings, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. President Vladimir Putins decision to attack Ukraine has split the Orthodox Church. Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, a leading authority of the Eastern Orthodox Church, quickly condemned the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. By contrast, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, has supported the war, which he claimed in a sermon was a struggle to defend human civilization against the sin of gay-pride parades. As a scholar who has spent several decades studying religion in Russia, Im following the debates within the Orthodox Church very closely. To better understand the current conflict, it is helpful to know more about the structure and history of Orthodox Christianity. What is the Orthodox Church? Orthodoxy is the smallest of the three major branches of Christianity, which also includes Catholicism and Protestantism. There are about 1.34 billion Catholics, about 600 million Protestants and approximately 300 million Orthodox Christians globally. Most Orthodox Christians live in Russia, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Middle East. Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church claims to be the one true church established by Christ and his apostles. Orthodox Church structure Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, which is led by the pope, the worldwide Orthodox Church has no single spiritual head. Instead, the global Orthodox communion is divided into autocephalous churches. Formed from two Greek roots, the word autocephalous means self-headed. Autocephalous churches are completely independent and self-governing. Each autocephalous Orthodox church has its own head, a bishop who presides over the territory of his church. Some, but not all, of these presiding bishops bear the title patriarch. Currently there are 14 autocephalous Orthodox churches that are universally recognized in the global Orthodox community. All these autocephalous churches share the same faith and sacraments. Among the 14 churches, the ecumenical patriarchate of Constantinople is regarded as the first among equals. While the patriarch of Constantinople enjoys a primacy of honor, he has no direct authority over the other churches. The Russian Orthodox Church, with over 90 million members, is by far the largest. The Romanian Orthodox Church boasts the second-largest number of believers, with about 16 million. The great schism of 1054 Until the 11th century, the Orthodox churches recognized the Roman Catholic Church as one of the autocephalous Orthodox churches. By 1054, however, differences in theology, practice and church government led the pope and the patriarch of Constantinople to excommunicate each other. In particular, the pope claimed to have authority over all Christians, not just the Christians within his autocephalous church. The Orthodox Church rejected this claim. These mutual excommunications were lifted only in 1965. In 1980, the 14 autocephalous Orthodox churches and the Roman Catholic Church created the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue to discuss the difficult issues that continue to divide them. These talks suffered a major blow in 2018 when the Russian Orthodox Church suspended its participation to protest the creation of a new autocephalous church in Ukraine. The orthodox clergy The Orthodox Church is hierarchical. Spiritual authority is invested in an ordained clergy consisting of bishops, priests and deacons. Like the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church holds to the doctrine of apostolic succession. According to this doctrine, Orthodox bishops, who rule over the territory of a diocese, are the direct, historical successors of the apostles. Bishops are exclusively male. They must also be monks and must observe a vow of celibacy. Priests and deacons, who are ordained by the bishops, lead the spiritual and ritual life of Orthodox Christians in the parishes. Unlike the bishops, parish priests are usually married. While priests must be male and most deacons are male, some women have been ordained as deaconesses since the early Christian period. Orthodox spiritual life Orthodox spiritual life is centered on the sacraments, or mysteries, usually celebrated by the parish priest. The first sacrament, baptism, is a rite of initiation into Christian life. Most Orthodox Christians are baptized as infants by triple immersion in holy water. Immediately, a baptized infant also receives two other sacraments. The priest anoints the child with chrism, a special oil prepared by bishops during Holy Week. The priest also gives the baby Communion, the consecrated bread and wine that have mystically become the body and blood of Christ. Like Catholics and most Protestants, Orthodox Christians regularly celebrate the Eucharist. This central sacrament of the Orthodox Church is known as the Divine Liturgy. Celebrated every Sunday, the Divine Liturgy has three parts: the offering, in which the priest and deacon prepare bread and wine; the gathering, which includes the reading of Scripture; and the thanksgiving, in which the bread and wine are consecrated and given to the faithful. Much of the Liturgy is sung or chanted. Unlike the Catholic Mass, the Divine Liturgy can never be celebrated by a single priest alone. The Liturgy must always be celebrated by a community of Christians. While a Catholic church may have multiple Masses on Sunday, the Orthdox Divine Liturgy can be celebrated only once per day on a given altar. Like Catholics, Orthodox Christians regularly confess their sins to their priest in the sacrament of penance. Marriage, ordination and the anointing of the sick with holy oil are also recognized as sacraments. Icons and worship Icons consecrated images of holy persons or events play an important role in Orthodox Church life. Orthodox churches are filled with these images, which believers honor with kisses and bows. In Orthodox theology, icons are a testimony to the doctrine that God became human in Christ. Because he was a human, he could be represented artistically. Likewise, the saints, who are believed to be filled with the spirit of Christ, can be portrayed and venerated in icons. Orthodox theologians carefully distinguish between worship, which is offered to God alone, and veneration, which is appropriate for icons. Orthodox Christians form a worldwide community of increasing importance. After the fall of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe, the Orthodox churches of these countries have grown in numbers and in political influence. ___ J. Eugene Clay has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Social Science Research Council, the University of Illinois Open Research Laboratory, and the National Humanities Center. ___ COMPILED BY MICHAEL PETRO March 27, 2022 Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com. WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEK A quick read of news from the past week and a look ahead at what's coming next. There's a lot at stake for local health care businesses and workers this week as Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature look to iron out the final state budget in the run-up to the deadline Friday. Hochul's budget proposal touted a $10 billion, multiyear plan to bolster New York's pandemic-battered health care industry, calling it "the largest investment in health care in state history." State legislators want to spend even more. In releasing their one-house budget proposals this month, the Assembly and Senate plan major spending on wage increases for the state's home care workers, some of the industry's lowest-paid professions. Legislators also want to convert some of the health care worker bonuses pitched by Hochul into permanent wage increases, seemingly taking what was a one-time cost and making it recurring. We'll see how it all shakes out. Meanwhile, in Buffalo, Kaleida Health and the unions representing about 6,300 of its workers are entering their third week of joint bargaining sessions as they work toward a new contract. The current three-year deal expires May 31. Upstate New York startup week. NextCorps, a Rochester-based startup hub, is hosting a virtual startup week for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Upstate New York. Participants can attend eight virtual panels throughout the week of March 28, touching on topics such as marketing and sales, building a mobile app or hiring talent. For more information or to register, visit nextcorps.org/startup-week-2022. How'd Independent Health do in 2021? The Amherst insurer will release its annual financial report Friday, a month after competitors Highmark of Western and Northeastern New York and Univera Healthcare parent Excellus Health Plan. Highmark lost $58 million last year, as it grappled with higher expenses from Covid-19 and significant IT investments. Excellus, meanwhile, reported net income of about $118 million for 2021. In 2020, Independent Health reported a surplus of $86 million on revenue of $1.9 billion. We'll see what 2021 held for the insurer. M&T Bank prepares to close its mammoth deal. M&T Bank Corp. has targeted completing its acquisition of Connecticut-based People's United Financial on or about Friday. M&T announced the deal in February 2021. Just last month, the two banks finally received the last regulatory approval they needed to wrap it up. The deal will extend M&T's presence throughout the Northeast. CATCH UP ON LAST WEEK Marina mainstay: The Hatch to reopen under new operator. Angelo Canna Jr.'s Lake Erie Dock has been selected by the city to run the Hatch and the former William K's restaurant at Erie Basin Marina. Kaleida Health's pandemic-related losses near $230 million and it wants its insurer to cover it. It's yet further proof of the financial beating that WNY's hospitals endured during the pandemic. Even before the first Kaleida patient tested positive for Covid on March 16, 2020, the region's hospitals already were on a financial tightrope because of their high concentration of Medicaid and Medicare patients and the lower reimbursements that accompany them. Embattled St. Ann's Church gets a savior in new buyer. "Its good news if the entire complex is preserved and repaired," said Tim Tielman, executive director of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture. Salvation Army project clears hurdles but needs financing. The Salvation Army of Greater Buffalo Area Services wants to remake its 67-year-old complex between Allen and North streets, but it still needs a way to pay for it. Why it's so hard to hire. The unemployment rate is at a record low. Businesses want to hire. But the tightest job market in decades still isn't luring workers who left their jobs during the pandemic to start looking again. Ryerson boosting jobs at Lancaster metals facility. The Chicago-based company will invest $1.5 million in its Tonawanda facility and add 25 jobs, while retaining 29 jobs. ICYMI Five reads from Buffalo Next: 'Sounds like that could be a girl': How Shelley Drake broke into the world of banking and made it to the top. During her 51-year career at M&T, Drake helped blaze a trail for other women in local banking and corporate roles. As Omicron raged, hiring stopped across Buffalo Niagara. The pandemic put the Buffalo Niagara job market in a deep hole. Two years later, the region is lagging far behind the nation in regaining the jobs that were lost when Covid-19 struck. How a business accelerator in Buffalo aims to make entrepreneurship accessible to all. EforAll opened its Buffalo office in May and is helping entrepreneurs from Buffalo's underrepresented communities grow their own businesses. Their goal is to transform Buffalo one small business at a time. New York budget battle: Hochul proposed $10 billion for NY health care. Legislators want a lot more. In releasing their one-house budget proposals this month, the Assembly and Senate plan major spending on wage increases for the state's home care workers, some of the industry's lowest-paid professions, as well as health coverage for undocumented immigrants and an additional $1 billion for the state's financial-ailing hospitals. How Silo City hopes to create a new neighborhood along the Buffalo River. Generation Development Group, the firm behind the planned conversion of the American and Perot malting warehouses into several hundred apartments and commercial space, are seeking to transform an area better known for its grain, shipping and industrial past into a trendy new place for living. The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Michael Petro Reporter Michael J. Petro is a business reporter for The Buffalo News. The Buffalo State College graduate is a former sports writer who previously served as the editor of both The Sun and Buffalo Law Journal. Follow Michael Petro 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 Janet Gramza Higher Education Reporter I'm the new Higher Education reporter on The Buffalo News business enterprise team. I previously worked at The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com and Syracuse's Rosamond Gifford Zoo. I'm a Rochester native with family in Buffalo. Email me at jgramza@buffnews.com. Follow Janet Gramza 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 Matt Glynn Reporter Follow Matt Glynn 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 Jonathan D. Epstein News Business Reporter I've been a business reporter at The Buffalo News since 2004, now covering residential and commercial real estate and development amid WNY's resurgence. I'm an upstate native, proud to call Buffalo my home, and committed to covering it thoroughly. Follow Jonathan D. Epstein 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 Natalie Brophy Reporter I cover technology and startups for The Buffalo News. A North Tonawanda native, I returned to Buffalo in January 2022 after five years of reporting in Central New York and Wisconsin. Follow Natalie Brophy 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 Samantha Christmann News Business Reporter and Columnist I grew up the daughter of a steelworker in North Tonawanda. I've been a business reporter for The News since 2008 and write the Discount Diva column, which appears in every Sunday's paper. Follow Samantha Christmann 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 Since the sweeping changes to the states bail law in 2019, one of every five people arrested and released by a Buffalo City Court judge without having to post bail got rearrested, though few on violent felony charges, according to a Buffalo News analysis of state criminal justice data. In 5,092 cases, defendants left the courthouse without a judge setting any bail. That's 44% of the nearly 12,000 overall number of cases. Of the 5,092 cases, 120 people were arrested on a violent felony charge while their first case remained open, according to The News' analysis. Slightly more than 1% were rearrested on a gun charge. Those numbers show the new bail rules are succeeding, say proponents of the changes. "It's working exactly the way it's supposed to work," said Kevin M. Stadelmaier of the Erie County Assigned Counsel Program. "You're letting low-level offenders remain at liberty while their cases are being adjudicated. These are people who historically are not a danger to the community." Erie County District Attorney John Flynn agreed the changes are producing the desired effects in most situations. Flynn, however, said the changes have allowed some dangerous individuals to quickly return into the community, he said. "Where bail reform went too far was on the more serious violent crimes," Flynn said. The bail law changes remain a political hot potato across New York State. From New York City's Democrat Mayor Eric Adams to sheriffs across upstate, many have called for varying levels of change to the law that removed a judge's ability to require bail for people charged with nearly all misdemeanors and low-level felonies. Over the past couple of weeks, Gov. Kathy Hochul has responded to the criticism, pledging to include changes to the bail law as part of a broader public safety plan in the state budget. The governor has said she wants to address what she called "the problem of repeat offenders." Hochul also pointed to bail in gun cases, as well as other restrictions judges can impose for crimes involving guns. But it is not just the felonies alarming some police officials. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said the changes put in place two years ago have allowed a small number of people to flourish as repeat offenders, sometimes to the extreme, in petit larceny cases, Gramaglia said. In extreme examples, since Jan. 1, 2020, two men each has been arrested on petit larceny charges in Buffalo 36 times. Eleven others have more than 10 petit larceny arrests each, according to Buffalo police data. Before the changes, people repeatedly arrested for minor thefts typically those seeking to feed a substance abuse addiction were likely to be referred to drug court after a few arrests, Gramaglia said. Now, because of the bail changes, individuals can still be sent to drug court, but prosecutors have lost leverage to get them to participate because they can no longer be held in custody, he said. "The judge has to release them to the same diversionary courts, but without the ability to mandate their appearance," Gramaglia said. "When a warrant is issued, they are brought before the court and must be released on their own recognizance again, so those in crisis are left with less services and continue to reoffend." The data The News analyzed data from the state Office of Court Administration for 11,672 Buffalo City Court cases from Jan. 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, the first 18 months the new bail rules were in effect. It's the most recent data available. The review revealed: Being released on their own recognizance was the most common outcome at arraignments, followed by having the cases resolved at that point, which happened in about a third of cases. The data does not indicate the specific charges for which a person was rearrested, but includes the charge level: 12.2% were rearrested on a misdemeanor charge, 7.2% for a nonviolent felony charge and 2.8% for a violent felony charge. The most common types of initial charges for those released on their own recognizance were assault (20%), property crime (18%), drug crime (14%), larceny (9%) and unlicensed operation (6%). In 348 cases, or about 7% of those released on their own recognizance, a judge issued a warrant because the accused failed to show up to court. Judges set bail in 19% of cases, and a defendant was remanded or held without bail 4% of the time. Of those released on their own recognizance, 61 individuals, or 1.4%, were rearrested on a gun charge. Regardless of what happened at their arraignment, bail or no bail required, 224 people were rearrested for a violent felony. That's 2.5% of those released. Of the 5,092 people released on their own recognizance in Buffalo, the state could not account for the rearrest status of 869 people. The Buffalo City Court figures are in line with an analysis done earlier this year by the Albany Times Union, which found 2% of cases related to changed bail laws statewide resulted in a rearrest for a violent felony charge while the person had another case pending. Fighting 'punitive' bail The goal of the new bail rules, according to advocates, was to incarcerate fewer people awaiting resolution of their cases. They wanted most people facing low-level criminal charges, especially those who could not afford to pay for their bail, to remain free while their cases proceeded in court. So the option of cash bail was eliminated for low-level offenses. State lawmakers and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed the changes in 2019, and they went into effect at the start of 2020. In April 2020, some changes were made that expanded when a judge could impose cash bail. The original purpose of bail was to induce defendants to return to court, but in practice, bail became punitive, said Linwood Roberts, a Buffalo defense attorney. "You had people that were basically being punished before they were actually tried and convicted of anything," Roberts said. No matter how low bail may be set even something like $500 many people "just don't have it," he said. For those stuck in jail, some sit there waiting for the matter to get resolved, possibly through a plea. For those who went to trial and beat the charges, they still lost many months of their lives being incarcerated when they shouldn't have been, Roberts said. He said he was struck by the data showing most people released without bail return for future court appearances. He also credited the two-day waiting period for judges to issue a warrant, saying most lawyers use that time to push their clients to make sure they show up in court. Stadelmaier said he thinks the pandemic-related shutdown of courts, which left more cases being unresolved for longer periods, contributed to the rearrest rate. Overall, the changes are working because people accused of crimes aren't sitting in jail, which would likely result in them losing their jobs, said TheArthur A. Duncan III, a Buffalo defense attorney. Instead, because of the reforms, they are out of custody where they can stay working and take care of their families, he said. Duncan said he believes the only negative effect from the changes are that some repeat offenders, some of whom are taking advantage of the new rules, know they can't be held in custody. "Most people are law-abiding citizens and everybody makes mistakes," he said. "And everybody doesnt have the wherewithal when they're charged with a crime to raise bail." The repeat offenders Some political candidates or officeholders, as well as some law enforcement officials, blame the bail changes for increases in crime rates, though often citing only anecdotal accounts to support their claims. Proponents of the bail changes point out crime also increased in states that did not change their bail rules. But statistics provided by the Buffalo Police Department show cases in which individuals initially arrested for a crime that used to be bail-eligible have gone on to be rearrested repeatedly for felonies. Thirty-six people in Buffalo arrested on a third-degree burglary charge, a felony, had at least two subsequent arrests on felony charges. Two of them each had a dozen subsequent felony arrests, according to the department. Thirty-three people arrested in Buffalo on third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance charge, also a felony, had at least two subsequent felony arrests. At the top of that list was a woman who had seven additional felony arrests, and two men with five each. Seeing individuals repeatedly arrested frustrates officers who encounter them again, Gramaglia said. Flynn said he believes a provision of the bail law that requires judges to set the least restrictive form of bail has let some people charged with more serious crimes to be released from custody. James A.W. McLeod, a former Buffalo City Court judge, said state law needs to return more discretion to judges. Judges are being told by the state they're wise enough to handle cases, but not wise enough to decide the conditions to place on defendants on a case-by-case basis, McLeod said. The former judge said he favors having those issued appearance tickets be given a shorter time frame to return to court. And in cases when someone's been rearrested before they've gone to court on their initial arrest, a judge should have the discretion to set some sort of bail, McLeod said. "It's little things like that that could be done," he said. The lack of judicial discretion was cited by critics of the bail rules in the local case of an 18-year-old arrested eight times in less than two months in cases involving allegedly stolen vehicles. In an op-ed published Wednesday in the New York Daily News, Hochul and Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin said there are likely "far more significant factors" than the bail law accounting for the rise in violent crime, but "that doesn't mean the bail law as it currently stands is perfect, either." They said judges should be allowed to set bail for repeat offenders "even if the crime would not currently be bail-eligible." And for crimes involving guns or violent crimes, "we should make it possible for judges to set more restrictive pretrial conditions, based on concrete criteria," Hochul and Benjamin wrote. Flynn on Friday announced he supported the governor's proposed changes to the bail law. In a statement, Flynn's office summarized some of Hochul's recommendations, which include allowing judges to consider a defendant's criminal history, such as gun possession, so judges would not be limited to applying the "least restrictive" conditions when setting bail. Another of Hochul's recommendations calls for giving police the discretion to deny an appearance ticket and make an arrest of a person who has previously been issued an appearance ticket within the last 18 months, Flynn said. Reach Aaron at abesecker[at]buffnews.com or 716-849-4602. 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. Sir Keir Starmer has said it is "easy to sit here and criticise" the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's tour of the Caribbean, after parts were described as a "disaster". The Labour leader added Prince William "could have gone further" after the heir to the throne chose not to apologise for Britain's role in the Transatlantic slave trade, instead saying the atrocity "forever stains our history". The Duke and Duchess spent eight days touring Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas in what is widely regarded to have been a PR disaster. William is said to have had a meeting with aides following a backlash sparked by a number of gaffes, including accusations the couple were tone deaf after they were seen shaking hands with crowds behind a wire mesh fence in Kingston. Images of the pair riding in the back of a Land Rover were denounced as harking back to colonial days, while there were protests aimed at the royals and how they have historically benefitted from the blood, tears and sweat of slaves. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent eight days touring Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas, but faced intense criticism. (PA) The image of William and Kate meeting children in Trench Town that sparked some of the backlash. (Getty/WireImage) Media coverage of the tour has been split, with some emphasising the positive impact of their presence in the Caribbean, while others described the fence photograph as a PR disaster. William is understood to have undergone "crisis talks" with senior aides over the trip, which came to a close after he and Kate boarded a flight back to the UK. Just before boarding their flight, the duke released an unprecedented statement addressing the growing republican sentiment in Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas, acknowledging it had brought into even "sharper focus questions about the past and the future". It comes after Barbados replaced the Queen as head of state in November, and elected its first president during a ceremony witnessed by the Prince of Wales. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Kingston, in another photo opportunity that was criticised as harking back to Britain's colonial past. (PA) Speaking on LBC's Call Keir, Starmer agreed William was trying to "cut his own groove" before becoming king, but admitted he "could have gone further" as William stopped short of issuing an apology over Britain's role in the Transatlantic slave trade. Story continues Starmer said: "He could have gone further but again it's a difficult one and I think that he may go further in the future." Asked if he thought the trip was a failure he said: "I don't think it was. William and Kate went on an important trip with important messages including messages about the changing Commonwealth going forward and that is difficult, it's very easy to sit here and criticise. "Before I was a politician I was a lawyer and I did a lot of work in Commonwealth countries, including in the Caribbean and in Africa. "I've been to Jamaica many, many times and I know just how strong the connection is between those countries and ours, it's very very deep. Watch: Prince William suggests Commonwealth could be led by a non-royal "But of course that relationship changes. I want it to endure, I want it continue and I think it will but in the end William and Kate are right - time changes things and we need to make sure the relationship is fit for the future as well as the past." However, the couple were defending by a UK minister, who dismissed the criticism as Twitter outrage, according to the education secretary. Asked whether William and Kates royal tour had an unfortunate hark back to colonial times, Zahawi said: No, I dont believe that. I believe the tour has been a fantastic outreach for the prince and his wife. They have done a tremendous job. I think we should be proud of the Commonwealth. I think Prince William was very wise to say, actually it is up to the Commonwealth countries if they feel they want him to be the head of the Commonwealth. I think that will strengthen the Commonwealth, not weaken it. And I think Prince Charles will make a great king, as will Prince William. A veteran board chair facing child porn charges resigned from his post Monday amid repeated calls for his resignation from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers administration and Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Nicholson. Prosecutors in Milwaukee charged Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Board Chair Curtis Schmitt Jr. on Jan. 23 with three felony counts of possession of child pornography. Schmitt, whom Evers appointed in 2019 and the Senate unanimously approved, has pleaded not guilty. According to a criminal complaint, investigators discovered two photos and a video of child pornography had been uploaded to a Dropbox account associated with Schmitts email in December. Schmitt told police that he was addicted to adult pornography and sometimes received and downloaded child pornography. In a letter to Evers on Monday, Schmitt said, It has been an honor to serve on the Board of Veterans Affairs for the past three years. Please let this letter serve as my official resignation, according to a copy Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback provided to the Wisconsin State Journal. The day after Schmitt was charged in January, an attorney for Evers asked him to do that which is in the best interest of the Board of Veterans Affairs by immediately resigning your unpaid, part-time, citizen-appointment position. He didnt respond, Cudaback said. On Monday morning, Nicholson sent Evers a letter to jump-start the removal process after Schmitt ignored calls to resign. Nicholson laid blame on Evers for not removing Schmitt sooner. Because the Senate confirmed Schmitt, Evers could not simply rescind his appointment. Instead, a taxpayer Nicholson in this instance had to file a complaint to trigger a process through which Evers can remove Schmitt for inefficiency, neglect of duty, official misconduct or malfeasance in office. In his letter sent Monday, Nicholson said Evers dishonored the reputation of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs and displayed an incomprehensible lack of leadership by refusing to be more proactive in removing Schmitt. After Schmitts resignation, Nicholson said, Schmitt Jr. should have been removed from the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs months ago. Im glad that hes finally resigned, but it should have never come to this. A judge last month bound Schmitt over for trial. Hes due back in court Tuesday for a scheduling conference. The veterans board works with the WDVA secretary to shape benefit programs for Wisconsin veterans by adopting administrative rules. It also approves resolutions and recommendations from state veterans organizations. The nine members serve four-year terms with no pay. Nicholson is facing Republican gubernatorial candidates former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and Rep. Timothy Ramthun, R-Campbellsport, in a contest to oust Evers. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Kaitlin Clegg said she has a different view when it comes to nursing home care. Clegg who is the Brookestone Acres new administrator said the perspective of nursing homes may not be the best in the publics mind. However, she said she believes its the chance to offer folks a unique experience in their lives that they havent witnessed before. I think a lot of people think nursing homes are more like youre sending your loved one there and thats the end of their life, Clegg said. For me, I want to try to make it more of an experience for them. We should be creating moments for them and help extend what they did in their life and get to know their stories and continue that with their families. Clegg has been on the job for about a month at Brookestone Acres, 4715 38th St. in Columbus. Brookestone Acres is designed for seniors who need either temporary rehabilitation or skilled nursing services, according to its website. The residents and patients are aided by staff trained to help with the specialized and unique needs of each person. Brookestone Acres Business Office Manager Dawn Lewis said shes enjoyed having someone like Clegg who is young and passionate about the job. By being younger, its nice to have another perspective, Lewis said. Shes been in long-term care for quite a few years. By working as a CNA and then multiple positions, shes brought in a new outlook to the facility and the team. Originally from Grand Island, Clegg began her career as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in high school. She recalled that while growing up her grandmother was also a CNA and she would go with her relative to help at the nursing home. As a child, I was very shy, Clegg said, with a chuckle. So (helping my grandmother) kind of started it. I was also in a medical class in high school and my teacher recommended I go get my CNA license. I really enjoyed it. I became a little bit more outgoing than I was originally. Clegg has also spent time working as a CNA in hospice care and at a hospital. She first attended college at the University of Nebraska at Kearney before transferring to Kaplan University and living in Kansas City, Missouri, for about five years. She later moved back to Nebraska to work at Lancaster Rehabilitation Center as the life enrichment director. Clegg then worked for Vetter Senior Living in Omaha where she took the administrator training program. She still works within Vetter as it provides management services to Brookestone Acres. Clegg said throughout the various stops shes had along the way, shes noticed differing levels of care. It was for this reason that she decided to go into the more administrative side. In some facilities, you can tell theres quality care there and some facilities not so much, Clegg said. I was contemplating nursing school but I decided that I couldnt make the changes I wanted to as a director of nursing. Theres a lot of bits and pieces with life enrichment and making sure theyre happy within the nursing home field. Clegg said she hopes she can help residents accomplish goals like riding a horse for the first time, as an example. Thats my passion, trying to change the outlook of nursing homes, she said. Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net. 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. A three-day search in southeast Nebraska for a missing woman ended Saturday without success. About 135 people from Nebraska law enforcement agencies and other groups scoured 1,100 acres of land in southeast Nebraska starting Thursday for the remains of Linda Dillard. The search for the missing 55-year-old Tecumseh woman took place at the Table Rock State Wildlife Management Area about 40 miles east of Beatrice. Some neighboring private land was also searched. Dillard last was seen June 16 near Table Rock. Investigators think she was the victim of a crime, but no one has been arrested in connection with her disappearance. Nebraska State Patrol Lt. Eric Jones said that although the search effort did not locate Dillards remains, significant ground was covered that will assist in the investigation. What our investigators learned this week directs the case into the next phase, Jones said. We are now confident that Linda is not in this large area. Our investigators continue to believe Linda may have been the victim of a crime. The search included 24 miles of roadside ditches, 1 miles of the Big Nemaha River, two farms and a lake. The searchers included 44 law enforcement officers, 65 volunteers, 15 mounted patrol teams and eight canine teams trained for human remains detection. The Lincoln Journal Star reported in October that investigators think she had been drinking and smoking methamphetamine at a farmstead in the area. A family later found the wig she had been wearing. The man who lives on the property told the Nebraska State Patrol that Dillard walked away early that morning after accusing him of sexual assault and said her ex-husband picked her up and drove her away. Dillards ex-husband reported her missing four days later. Anyone with information about Dillards disappearance is urged to come forward, Jones said. Nebraska Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information and tips can be made anonymously through the Crime Stoppers website, the P3 Tips mobile app or by calling 800-422-1494. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Information is from police reports and may be incomplete depending on the status of an investigation. Phone numbers are nonemergency. The National Weather Service issued a Snow Squall Warning for northeaster Cumberland County, as well as in parts of Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties, which will remain in effect until 3:15 p.m. The weather service said at 1:41 p.m., several bands of dangerous snow squalls were intersecting a line from Bloserville to Rockville to Lickdale to Fredericksburg, moving east at 35 mph. The line of squalls will cause extremely poor visibility in snow and blowing snow, along with wind gusts greater than 30 mph. The weather service called the hazard "dangerous, life-threatening travel." The warning affects those traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike from mile markers 223 to 295, Interstate 81 from mile markers 47 to 97, Interstate 83 from mile markers 16 to 50, and Interstate 283 from mile markers 0 to 2. The weather service said there is no safe place on a highway when a snow squall hits. Residents should avoid travel, but if they are driving, they should slow down and be prepared for sudden loss of traction since wet roads will quickly freeze. Posted earlier on Cumberlink: The National Weather Service said snow squalls with very poor visibility will move southeast through late Monday afternoon, affecting locations in central and northern Pennsylvania, including the Susquehanna River Valley. The weather service said cold and moist air streaming southeast off the Great Lakes will combine with heating of the ground to create an ideal setup for brief heavy snow squalls. The squalls will quickly reduce visibility to less than half a mile and coat the roads with snow. The weather service said drivers can often see squalls approaching since they obscure ridges and the road in the distance. The weather service recommends drivers exit the road, if possible. If there is no exit available, wait out the squall by turning on the hazard lights and gradually slowing down to avoid a chain reaction crash. Some counties are under a snow squall warning, but the weather service only issued a special weather statement and hazardous weather outlook for Cumberland County. Pennsylvania State Police reported on Twitter that there have been snow squall alerts in Dauphin County, and it recommends drivers remain vigilant. In addition to low temperatures, winter precipitation may return with a possible period of light snow and ice early Wednesday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 You know who benefits the most from liberal media bias? Conservatives. I spent much of the last 25 years writing about liberal media bias. Heck, I grew up on the stuff. My father, a longtime editor, used to joke that he worked behind enemy lines. Hed often tutor me about the likes of Walter Duranty, the New York Times Moscow correspondent who whitewashed Stalins crimes and won a Pulitzer in the process, or Herbert Matthews, the reporter whose Cuba coverage inspired the famous cartoon of Fidel Castro saying, I got my job through the New York Times. Dan Rather, a CBS News institution with some well-documented biases of his own, used to say liberal media bias was a myth. Suffice it to say, I think he was wrong, and continues to be wrong. But something has changed. The modern conservative movement begins in the mid-20th century, and for most of that time the media referred to three TV networks, two newspapers and a few newsmagazines all located within walking distance of each other in Manhattan. Rounding out the list were the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and a handful of similarly liberal big city newspapers. During this era, the media had incredible power to set the agenda. Disagree if you wish, just know that for conservatives this was an article of faith. Irritation at this center-left conventional wisdom, which dominated not just the media, but academia, created the pearl of modern conservatism. When he launched National Review, William F. Buckley proclaimed that his journal (where I worked for 20 years) would stand athwart History, yelling stop. The talk radio revolution pioneered by Rush Limbaugh and the rise of Fox News can only be understood as a rebellion against the hegemony real or perceived of the liberal media. The story of how that hegemony was shattered by cable news and the internet is by now familiar. But whats interesting is that even as the reigning journalistic gatekeepers were dethroned, conservative rage against the media intensified. In 2008, Sarah Palin, John McCains running mate, became a right-wing darling in large part because the mainstream media hated her. In 2012, Newt Gingrichs presidential campaigns early successes stemmed almost entirely from his relentless focus on attacking the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media. Whatever you make of his broadsides, its worth noting they were delivered well after Fox had become a ratings behemoth and a slew of right-wing news and opinion outlets had been launched. Its almost impossible to exaggerate how much of Donald Trumps candidacy and presidency were entwined with the rights animosity for what Gingrich had called the elite media. Trumps war on fake news his contribution to right-wing rhetoric was so total he felt perfectly free to dub the press the enemy of the people, praise a politician who physically attacked a journalist and rail against the 1st Amendment. Ignore the substance of the criticisms. As an objective matter, this obsession with the elite medias alleged monopoly has intensified in tandem with the unraveling of that monopoly. Republican politicians dont need the elite media to get their messages out anymore. Indeed, often the best thing that can happen to a Republican politician is to earn the scorn of such outlets. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida understands this better than most. Hes made media hostility central to his brand. If the corporate press nationally isnt attacking me, he says, then Im probably not doing my job. (Oddly, his definition of corporate press doesnt include Fox News, where he appears so often he should probably have his mail delivered to the green room.) If Republican voters havent gotten the news that the monolithic media isnt nearly the monolith it once was, neither has the media itself. When 60 Minutes did a shoddy piece on DeSantis, it was tantamount to an in-kind donation to the governor. Much of the press is caught in a kind of Baptists and bootleggers loop, in which opposing forces become symbiotically co-dependent. Thanks in part to the blurring of reporting with partisan punditry, particularly on cable news and social media, not to mention the larger trends of tribal polarization, attacks from the left often benefit their right-wing targets (and vice versa). Weirder still, favorable coverage is often no favor. Right-wing denunciations of defund the police a fringe position among elected Democrats did far less damage to Democrats than the coverage the idea got from sympathetic media. There are no easy answers to the problem, but one thing that would help is more skeptical tough love for politicians and political causes from the outlets most inclined to help them. Because the help isnt helping. Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 While the war in Ukraine has sparked a sweeping range of economic sanctions against Russia and its energy-related exports such as oil and natural gas, similar barriers do not currently extend to the fuel used in nuclear power plants. Russia is a major player in that global supply chain, and Ameren is one power utility that, historically, has long relied on Russia for the fuel used at its lone nuclear plant in Callaway County, near Jefferson City. The St. Louis-based energy utility acknowledged this week that at least some of its nuclear fuel needs are still tied to Russia though it declined to provide a range of specifics about what its current business ties to the country entail. The company and outside nuclear energy experts emphasize that there are no immediate risks to nuclear fuel needs for Ameren, or U.S. nuclear plants, at large even if Russia were to be blocked as a supplier. But some describe the potential for longer-term disruption, given Russias clout in the world of nuclear fuel, and the bottleneck that would arise if the country were cut off. Its hard to make quick U-turns, said Nima Ashkeboussi, senior director of fuel and radiation safety for the Nuclear Energy Institute, an organization that advocates for the industry. Adding capacity doesnt happen overnight. The nuclear fuel supply chain encompasses four main steps, he explained. The first is mining uranium an activity that happens in many countries in the world. But before it can be used as fuel for a nuclear reactor, the uranium needs to undergo processing or conversion followed by enrichment, and finally, fuel fabrication, when it is turned into usable pellets or rods. That last step is one that is performed entirely in the U.S. for domestic utilities. But the middle steps conversion and enrichment are often controlled by Russia. The problem here is conversion and enrichment. That is a very constrained market, said Ashkeboussi. You only have very, very limited options. For instance, he said only two companies outside of Russia can currently perform either step. Overall, U.S. utilities receive about 20% of their enriched uranium from Russia, he added. Fuel for Callaway Utilities like Ameren have been longtime customers for enriched nuclear fuel from Russia, and a state-owned uranium export company called Techsnabexport, or Tenex. Ameren had a contract with Tenex in place from 2014 to 2020, which included an option for renewal. Ameren did not clarify what has happened following its Tenex contract that ran at least to 2020. The company struck that former deal alongside two other U.S. utilities, with the Russian nuclear contracts totaling $1 billion in investment. The company said that almost all of its nuclear fuel comes from outside of Russia, but did not clarify how much still is from the country, nor whether that comment applies solely to where its uranium is mined. The company also did not answer questions about whether it still relies on Russian companies for the middle steps in the supply chain. Ameren said that no Russia-based organizations are involved in future fuel sourcing for the company, but declined to clarify the effective date. The utility said that in our most recent negotiations for new nuclear fuel, we intentionally avoided Russia-based organizations due to sourcing risks, but would not say when those talks happened. In a recent financial filing, the company said it has inventories and supply contracts sufficient to meet its uranium, conversion and enrichment requirements at least through the 2026 refueling at its nuclear plant in Callaway County. U.S. nuclear plants, including Amerens, need to be refueled every 18 to 24 months. If Russian supply were interrupted, experts said that there wouldnt be an immediate effect on Ameren or other U.S. utilities. But planning alternatives would need to begin immediately and issues could arise a year or so later, because it would take significant time and investment to develop new capacity in the global nuclear fuel supply chain, outside of Russia. Ashkeboussi said that risk has highlighted some of the benefits of bringing that fuel supply chain closer to home. NEI said it continues to support the development of a domestic fuel supply chain including the creation of U.S. uranium enrichment capabilities. Some steps have already begun, starting even before the Ukraine conflict erupted. For example, an idled conversion facility in the southern Illinois town of Metropolis is set to resume activity next year, Ashkeboussi said. Some, though, said its unclear whether uranium prices can climb high enough to re-establish and sustain domestic production capabilities and that doing so could be a challenge. Meanwhile, NEI has lobbied the White House in opposition to extending sanctions to Russian uranium, according to a recent report from Reuters. NEI declined to address related policy questions from the Post-Dispatch. Lawmakers in Congress, however, are pushing for a ban on Russian uranium, with legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate. If a ban is imposed, the U.S. nuclear fleet could likely ride it out, said Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety for the Union of Concerned Scientists. He said U.S. nuclear plants have years of uranium in advance enough to outlast any supply shock, as long as its confined to the short-term future. Theres no real reason why the industry cant weather something like that, said Lyman, describing the prospect of banning Russian uranium. But over time, that could be a problem. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Redistricting determining the political boundaries for elected leaders following every 10-year census continues for the state of Missouri, and the Missouri House of Representatives was set to convene Monday evening to approve or deny the eight-district, U.S. Congressional map put forward by the Senate. Complicating matters is that the deadline for filing for U.S. Congress is Tuesday night. While the situation continues to evolve, local legislators were asked to weight in on their thoughts about the maps that have been approved, and the final, U.S. Congressional map, which is currently in play. The new Missouri House district map was agreed on by legislators on Jan. 21, the new Missouri Senate map was approved March 15. Now the U.S. Congressional map is in play, and a few local legislators have mixed feelings about what they have been seeing. State Sen. Elaine Gannon observed Friday in her weekly report that the boundary lines for her 3rd Senatorial District have shifted to include southern Jefferson, Crawford, Washington, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve counties. The maps shift Iron and Reynolds counties to the 27th Senatorial District and moves Crawford County from the 16th Senatorial District to mine, she wrote. While I will miss the acquaintances Ive met in Iron and Reynolds, Im looking forward to visiting Crawford County and welcoming its residents into our community. State Rep. Dale Wright, 116th District, said Thursday from what he was able to piece together, this is not an optimum map for our region. To begin with, it appears we would lose our current congressman, (8th District Rep.) Jason Smith, who has served our area so well for so many years, Wright said. He is one of us, he lives in an environment like ours, and will soon be arguably one of the most influential members of the next congress. I believe his influence can bring many benefits to our part of the country. Wright said the map seemed to purposely carve our area out of the current congressional district and used us as backfill for the 2nd district out of St. Louis. Wright predicted on Thursday that the Senate Congressional map sent over to the House Monday evening would not be approved and would have to be turned over to a joint committee made up from both houses. In the House, we had voted on a 6-2 map, meaning six Republican districts and two Democratic districts and then we sent it over to the Senate, he said. When they began debate, a handful of senators held out for a 7-1 map. They have debated and filibustered since January. The Senate finally settled on a 6-2 map but in my opinion has less reasonable boundaries than our proposed map. It is my opinion that we in the House should not merely accept the Senates version of congressional map. State Rep. Mike Henderson, 117th District, echoed similar concerns last week. The Senate maps are fine and the House maps, fine. That's good. They moved some lines, I lost some of Farmington, I picked up Bonne Terre, thats great, Bonne Terre is great, it works and theyre communities of interest, you know, these were population shifts that felt good, he said. Hes concerned with the way the U.S. congressional map would put part of this region out of the 8th Congressional District and in with the 2nd Congressional District. These are the congressional maps that would move us now where we're basically in with all the fairly affluent suburban areas (of St. Louis), and in St. Francois County, and part of Washington County and even a little bit of Iron County, I don't think they necessarily fit together. That's kind of why I don't like the way that set up, he said. State Rep. Chris Dinkins, 144th District, said Thursday she was also concerned about the Congressional changes proposed, and she wasnt particularly fond of the way her district grew to be one of the biggest in the state on the House map, either I went from having, like, four counties to having seven counties, and losing a biggest part of Wayne County which is really my hometown with my mom and sister and family, she said. That's really my area, so I hated to lose that. And you know, I picked up Shannon County, which, Im a little bit familiar with the Shannon County and they have a lot of the same issues that we have in Reynolds and Iron, as far as having a lot of public ground and having feral hogs, all the way up Washington County, she said. Everybody in the house is teasing me about my senatorial districts, because it's a big district. "It's gonna be difficult to operate my office like I have before because, you know, I try to be very accessible in our community all the time and have a lot of personal meetings. And when you have that big of a district, it's going to be hard to have the same type of rapport with your constituents. Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at shaas@dailyjournalonline.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 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 latest COVID-19 subvariant that is making waves hasnt reached St. Francois County yet, according to Health Center Director Linda Ragsdale. At this time, we know that the omicron sub-lineage BA.2 is present in Missouri from the sewershed monitoring and is becoming more prevalent but have not seen (been notified) any of this variant in SFC yet, Ragsdale said on Friday. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, BA.2 is estimated to be 50% more contagious than the omicron variant and is causing an increase in several states in the Northeast and South. We are consistently monitoring our caseload, testing, and sewershed data, Ragsdale added. Data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services wastewater surveillance can be found at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f7f5492486114da6b5d6fdc07f81aacf. St. Louis County health department officials warned on Wednesday, according to the Post-Dispatch, that the new subvariant has caused some cases of COVID-19 in the county. For the week ending March 19, BA.2 accounted for 34.9% of cases in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number was 19% in the region that includes Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. Cases continue to drop in St. Francois County. In the latest numbers released by the health center on Tuesday, the county recorded 24 cases (22 confirmed and two probable) from March 12-18. The testing positivity rate was 3.4%. The numbers have dropped slightly more since then, according to the states COVID dashboard. From March 16-22, the county recorded 16 cases (15 confirmed and one probable). The testing positivity rate is 2.8%. COVID-related deaths rose by five (three confirmed and two probable), bringing the total number of deaths since the pandemic to 290 (246 confirmed and 44 probable). Area counties The Madison County Health Department reported zero cases over the past week. In Ste. Genevieve County, according to the state dashboard, there were five new cases from March 16-22. The testing positivity rate is 7.6%. The Washington County Health Department reported six new cases and two deaths from March 15-22. The testing positivity rate is .6%. In Iron County, there were four new cases from March 16-22, according to the state dashboard. The testing positivity rate is 7.3%. State testing Missouri DHSS announced last Friday that it is ending the states free at-home PCR test kit program on March 31 after a decrease in the demand for testing. We continue to provide drive-through community testing sites in areas of the state as needed, the DHSS update said. Residents who havent ordered a kit can yet can still order them online through March 31. The test can be ordered at https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/community-test.php#self-collection. 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. Local lawyer and champion of the poor, foe of those in power who she considered detrimental to vulnerable people and taxpayers in general, Vonne Karraker, 52, died March 21 following a lengthy struggle against cancer. She is survived by her husband and law partner, Kevan Karraker of Manley, Karraker and Karraker PC; step-daughters Stephanie Dribben and Kate Sechrest and their families; grandchildren, adopted children and grandchildren, other relatives, and friends and work associates too numerous to name, but no less beloved by Karraker. A private Celebration of Life will happen on April 10. She was probably best known in recent years for battling mightily against the administrators of the St. Francois County Sheriffs Office and the St. Francois County Jail, part of an Arch City Defenders lawsuit that alleges dangerous and negligent conditions at the jail. She was quoted as saying in an article on The Marshall Project website, If I slow down to think of the sheer magnitude of the evil that resides here I cower at home under the covers, exhausted and weepy and thoroughly overwhelmed That's happened a few times, and [my husband] has dragged me back into the light. Vonne was a dynamic force for justice. She was not afraid to tackle corruption, even as others chose to look the other way. She was the champion of the underdogs who were easily victimized, said Paula Barr Skillicorn. Vonne was also one of the funniest women I have ever known and the best storyteller ever. She loved her family and friends and truly was one of my heroes, Barr Skillicorn added. My heart is broken. As a former Farmington city councilwoman who served one Ward 2 term from 2007-09, Karrakers was often the most persistent voice of dissent, often questioning decisions and proposals being pondered by her fellow members regarding TIF district, CID and smoking issues. One of my friends in Book Club told me Farmington was trying to force everyone to use the same garbage collection service, Karraker said in a 2010 article in the Daily Journal. I thought that was stupid. I went to a meeting and had a strong impression that they didnt listen. I wanted to know why it was so easy to ignore people. No one opposed Karraker (whose last name was then Phillips) in her bid for office. During her tenure, she criticized the council for making decisions illegally by e-mail and insisted they follow the Sunshine Law. In recent years, she attended commission meetings and questioned the operating procedures and policies of county government, again bringing up alleged violations of the Sunshine Law. In 2019, she was part of a meeting called by Rep. Dale Wright with Childrens Services, where she decried the challenges she and others faced while dealing with the governmental entity that oversees the welfare of juveniles. When I come to, for instance, a family support team meeting and I take my recorder - maybe my client isnt there - and I plop it down on the table, the hostility that I get from these division workers who haven't read their manual and don't know that the language says that there is an absolute right to record, said Karraker in a November 2019 article. The most recent five counties I've been in, not one single person who works for the division or the juvenile office knew this and as a result, it sets the stage for so much hostility She also was a champion for elder law, in which her firm specializes. She was a board member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and was a frequent guest speaker on issues related to elder law and Miller trusts. He co-spearheaded Legacy Fest, a multi-county, multi-generational festival that annually paid homage to veterans and served as an information clearinghouse for elder issues. Opening her private practice in 2006 after passing the bar in 2004, she worked as a staff attorney for Legal Services of Southern Missouri, a group of dedicated attorneys and legal staff ready to go to battle for the little guys to make sure they have an equal chance for justice when they go up against the powerful. Karraker grew up well-versed in how the little guys struggle. Born Vonnedele Louise Wilson in the Bootheel town of Catron in December 1969, the Farmington attorney grew up in poverty with three siblings, bullied by the predominately white classmates at school and left at loose ends when it came to parental guidance. Her husband, Kevan, said Vonne often got in trouble at school where she was often bored, and she frequently sought comfort and support from her late aunt and uncle, Corine and Nelth Zanda Williams. Her uncle was a man of great wisdom, he was entertaining and became a surrogate dad to Vonne, he said of the farm laborer-turned-driver for a local land baroness in the Bootheel. No one would look at Zanda and his station in life and say he was a great man but Ill say it, he was a great man. His four kids did well, three went into the military. He was Vonnes confidante and chief life adviser. A 2010 Daily Journal article about Black History Month reports Karraker knew by the age of 13 that she wanted to go to law school. She said color was never an issue at school, but her isolated experience as a country girl made her first year at college an eye-opener. I came from the country, and I didnt know how people acted in the city, Karraker was quoted as saying. So, I rolled with it for a long time. To fulfill her dream of studying in France applying her major in French at University of Kentucky, from which she graduated in 2003 Karraker applied for the overseas studies program. Instead of France, she was given the opportunity to study in Japan, which the avid traveler took. Karraker studied Spanish and Japanese, and one of the family members with whom she stayed taught her German. Vonne was blessed to have been born with a good brain, and she used it often and early, Kevan said. She also found good mentors along the way. After law school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, she spent time as an insurance defense attorney in a litigation department in that city before moving to Farmington with then-husband Keith Phillips. The marriage didnt work out, but she was smitten with the town and the friends she made there. She served as an attorney for Legal Aid Services in the Farmington office until 2006, when she started her own practice. Kevan said his wife was often fond of telling people their first contact was made when, as Farmington city attorney, he sent her along with hundreds of other people a letter reminding her she hadnt returned a library book, and would be expected to either produce it, pay for it, or replace it. She let me know she drove all the way to Cape Girardeau to procure that book and give it to the library, he laughed. She didnt have to do that, of course. I hated those letters. I even had to send one to my dentist, who never let me live it down. In addition to being an avid reader, Karraker busied herself with non-profit organizations, and civic events and initiatives. She was an active board member for Habitat for Humanity of St. Francois County and East Ozarks Audubon Society, supported many events and projects benefiting children and especially animals. She was also instrumental in forming the Negro Masonic Cemetery Preservation Association, now called the African American Masonic Cemetery Preservation Association. The graveyard on Colony Church Road was overrun with brush before former Farmington City Councilman Bill Matthews the citys first black councilman began clearing it and appealed to Karraker to help him establish the means to save and protect it, and more. In an April 2011 Daily Journal article, Karraker said the association was more than just figuring out who was buried where and keeping appropriate records and maintenance. The Cemetery Preservation Association is archiving huge piles of documents and stories, and we're gathering oral histories, she said. We're not just focusing on the cemetery; we are developing a walking tour of Farmington based on black and white history. To that end, in April 2011, she organized a fundraising concert by Massachusetts resident Carolyn Wilkins, a descendant of former Farmington resident J. Ernest Wilkins, the first black man to serve as the countrys first black Assistant Secretary of Labor under President Eisenhower. Wilkins also sold and signed copies of her book Damn Near White. Organizing Earth Days, Legacy Fests and fundraisers was easy for Karraker, who was fond of throwing parties for friends and family just because. In a New Years Eve article, it was reported Vonne Phillips will welcome 2012 by, Partying with friends, writing my resolutions on paper, setting that paper on fire, continuing to party with friends." Known as Nannie by her step-grandchildren, she was often the kid having the most fun during get-togethers. Shed get down on the floor with them, play with them, bring out games for them to play and hold silly contests, maybe theyd play by the rules, maybe not, she didnt care, she just let them have a good time, Kevan said. Shed find the most unique gifts and just loved them to death and they loved her back. Theyre going to miss her so much. Among the people who miss her most will be those who dont get a fair shake and need legal help, Kevan said. He remembered a woman who came, crying, to Karraker because her familys only car had been banged up by a local tire dealer, the employees of which refused to take responsibility. Vonne was outraged, Kevan remembered. We all know how Vonne can write, and she immediately fired off a letter to the corporate office, and heard back almost before the woman left, we will take care of this. But while the car was being fixed, Kevan said, his wife set about trying to find the family a loaner car to get them through. Id just bought a used car that was new to me, and she appeared in my office door saying sweetly, Kevan, they need a loaner. Cant we let them drive yours for a while? he recalled. So I grudgingly cleared everything out, and that got them through, and they returned the car later. But we didnt know them at all, they were total strangers. She just had to help them put things right, thats how she was. And she didnt charge them a nickel for it. She was always doing free legal work for people. She hated the injustice of public or private institutions or people getting it over on someone who was poor, sick or elderly. Sarah Haas is the assistant editor for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at shaas@dailyjournalonline.com. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 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 COVID-19 pandemic began to hit Virginia two years ago and medical providers scrambled to obtain resources, not every provider was treated the same. For Thedra E. Nichols, director of medical health services at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail and a certified family Nurse Practitioner, the first year of the pandemic was a series of escalating challenges as she and her dwindling medical staff worked to keep those incarcerated at the jail healthy and safe. Though many in the area were caught off guard by the onset of the pandemic, Nichols said she had been following news about the virus since December 2019, spurred by fears her daughter could get sick during a planned spring trip to Europe. The stress still weighs heavily on Nichols but when the virus hit locally the jail was more prepared than most. My team started wearing masks around two weeks before CDC suggested it and the whole jail started wearing masks a day before, just based on me researching and learning about prevention and trying to understand how it was going to affect us, Nichols said. I dont like to talk too much about it because it was the worst time of my entire life. As medical director and a certified family nurse practitioner with nearly three decades of experience, Nichols was responsible for the health and safety of around 350 incarcerated people and around 150 jail employees. That led to long hours of researching and collaboration with her coworkers and staff, working to develop safety plans as reality changed rapidly around them. Although then-Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in March 2020, Nichols said the jail would not see its first positive case amongst the incarcerated population until August of that year. By that point the jail officials had developed a quarantining process and reduced the incarcerated population through home electronic monitoring, but Nichols said they still could not get tests. The thing that makes me the most frustrated and upset is that there was zero guidance, nothing from the Department of Corrections, nothing from the state, nothing from the government, she said. I would call and ask to order some masks and other PPE and was told You cant, youre not a frontline worker. And I was like, Im a nurse practitioner, you bet your ass Im a frontline worker. Nichols was forced to call for assistance from the University of Virginia Medical Center and her colleague Dr. Preston Reynolds to get the jails first possible COVID case tested, a time-consuming and complicated process. Throughout the pandemic Nichols said Reynolds and other medical colleagues have been an indispensable resource, helping each other pick up a perceived slack from larger institutions. Nichols said the lack of guidance, resources and attention made her and her colleagues feel forgotten and neglected, a feeling that hasnt subsided much in the intervening months. Its very, very hard to work here. There are many challenges and the people are often sick because they dont have access to good health care and theyre not educated about health care in general, Nichols said. You have just multiple problems associated with the job already, even before the pandemic and so to get told just by so many people that we werent considered frontline workers was really rough, she said. Throughout the first year, Nichols said a bright spot was the unfettered support of the jails superintendent and Authority Board and cooperation from the security staff, all of whom she said listened to her guidance and took necessary precautions. The cooperation among the staff was inspiring, she said, and for a long time the masks worn at the jail were obtained by the security team. We really pulled together and it was amazing to see people Id hardly ever interacted with come up and say Hey, I found this resource, or could you use this? Nichols said. We were forced to work together to keep ourselves and each other safe and that was the biggest plus from the whole experience. Despite their best efforts, Nichols said it was inevitable that a congregate setting like the jail would experience outbreaks. The first one came during a local surge of the delta variant and was likely contracted by an inmate while visiting one of the local courthouses. Throughout the few outbreaks the jail has experienced including a significant one earlier this year prompted by the highly contagious but comparably mild omicron variant Nichols said a combination of quarantining, masking and vaccines helped prevent significant harm to the jail population and staff. There have been no COVID deaths at the jail and only one major hospitalization, she said, and the origin of all positive cases are from outside the facility. The jail fared much better than other jails in the state, Nichols said, and she has on many occasions been asked for guidance by other jail officials. We had the support of the administration, we had the support of the courts so that we could limit the number of people in here and we literally have a whole wing that we use just for COVID, she said. As with the rest of the country, Nichols said the jail is relaxing some of its safety guidelines, including reducing the quarantine time from 14 days to 10. However, as a self-described realist, Nichols said she continues to tell her colleagues at the jail to remain vigilant. I tell the staff all the time that they need to stop talking about what it was like before [the pandemic] because it will never be what it was like before, she said. If you keep bemoaning the way it used to be, youre only going to let yourself down. You have to accept where we are now and know that its evolving and changing, but know that this sort of thing is never gonna go away. On a personal level, Nichols said she is feeling the same burnout that many in the medical field are experiencing. Although only six years away from retirement, she said shes not sure shell make it there. She hopes she can. Everybody knows that Im burned out, but they also know I wouldnt leave them because weve got to plod through and continue to figure it out together, she said. People who work in corrections have this certain connection and we know the cost associated with keeping people safe is dramatic but we do it anyway. 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. Imagine having to sue your governor to force him to do what a 30-year-old federal law required him to do. This is what Albemarle County residents Dr. Elizabeth Lyons and her husband Chris Seaman faced as they tried to protect their child with disabilities. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkins race to outlaw COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates in public schools left them no choice but legal action. Youngkin, the Republican presidential wannabe, needed to feed his anti-masking, anti-vaccination political base quickly after his election in November 2021. So after inauguration, he made his second executive action an optional masking order for all public schools. In doing so, he placed Lyons and Seamans immunocompromised childand many othersat risk of getting sick and possibly dying if they went to class. Blithely ignoring the Americans with Disabilities Act, Youngkin turned to his Republican colleagues in the General Assembly who quick-stepped the optional masking order through the General Assembly and turned it into law in a matter of days with the help of a few Democratic defectors. As Seaman correctly observed to The Daily Progress: This was not the product of a deliberative process. It is not the way public health law should be made. Thankfully, U.S. District Judge Norman Moon ruled March 23 that Lyons, Seaman and 10 other plaintiffs may request that their disabled childrens schools provide the reasonable accommodations to which they are legally entitled. This is what federal law said from the get-go. But the governors gotta-feed-my-political-base approach did not allow for it. Under the executive order and subsequent law, we cant work with teachers, principals and the school board the way were used to doing, Lyons explained to The Daily Progress. Lyons and Seaman need accommodations for their child, a third grader battling leukemia and recovering from a bone marrow transplant. It likely will involve making other students in the childs class wear masks. Seaman and Lyons are mulling what accommodations they will ask for at Brownsville Elementary School in Albemarle. What they request will be decided in consultation with their childs doctor. On Thursday, a spokesman for the Albemarle School Board said the school system was still studying Moons order. Cases where parents and school systems cannot agree on accommodations can be appealed to federal court. Under Moons order, each childs specific circumstances determine what is reasonable, said Colleen Miller, executive director of the disAbility Law Center of Virginia. But Miller also thinks Moons order can be applied to other children with disabilities, not just those whose parents sued Youngkin. We think this is a strong opinion, she said. Virginians are best served if Moons order sets a precedent. First, it should reinforce the principle that, to the extent possible, people with disabilities deserve the same opportunities to succeed as those without disabilities. That means recognizing that executive orders and legislation which force children with disabilities out of classrooms are not just illegal, but morally wrong. Such a nonjudicial standard can push parents and school systems to negotiate reasonable accommodations in good faith. We hope such compassion exists in communities ruled by anti-masking and anti-vaccination sentiments. Judging from the rude, disruptive, bullying behavior before school boards in some of those places, we worry about the culture war cry of personal freedom. These encounters have included threats pf violence. Remember the woman from Page County? She told the board of education that if it tried to force her child to wear a mask, she would bring guns to school to make sure her daughter did not have to cover her face. The anger of this woman and too many other citizens seems to preclude thinking about the consequences their individual choices to refuse vaccination or wear masks might have on neighbors in special circumstances. This is who Glenn Youngkin felt he needed to satisfy by ending mask and vaccine mandates while ignoring the Americans with Disabilities Act. To have to sue the governor to enforce the law was really frustrating, Lyons said. It never should have been necessary. An Eagle Creek motorcyclist was killed in a crash near Stayton the morning of Friday, March 26, according to a news release from the Linn County Sheriffs Office. Steven Murphy was 72. The wreck occurred near the intersection of Stayton-Scio Road and Cole School Road at about 10 a.m. An investigation revealed that Murphy was riding a 1983 Yamaha XVZ motorcycle and traveling westbound on Stayton-Scio Road. As he approached a slowing line of cars in his lane, Murphy entered the oncoming lane in an attempt to pass, the news release states. As he passed the cars on the left, the lead vehicle, a 2007 Audi, began a left turn. Murphy struck the left side of the turning Audi, throwing him from the motorcycle and causing life-ending injuries, according to the news release. When deputies arrived, they found Murphy deceased. The Audi driver is cooperating fully with the investigation. Drugs, alcohol and speed do not appear to be factors in the crash. LCSO was assisted by the Oregon State Police, the Linn County Medical Examiner and the Stayton Fire Department. Spring officially arrived on March 20 at 8:33 a.m., marking a change of seasons and a change of political tempo of Oregon's political campaigns. Along with blooming daffodils, spring marked the awakening of any politicians still hibernating this long into the 2022 primary election. Political ads returned to television and former governors popped out of retirement to announce their endorsements. Campaign "expenditures" tallied by the Secretary of State picked up the pace. On Monday, it was just 50 days until the May 17 primary. News and moves as March comes to end include: Primaries closed to over one million voters The number of registered voters in Oregon who are not affiliated with any political party has topped one million, accounting for the largest slice of the electorate. But they'll have no say in the May 17 primaries that decide who appears on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. First the numbers: The Secretary of State monthly voter registration report for March showed 1,022,556 non-affiliated voters. That surpasses the 1,019,668 registered Democrats. Republicans remain in third place, with 723,728. The Independent Party is the only other party with fairly large numbers, registering 139,674 voters. A host of other parties ranging from the Constitution Party on the right to the Pacific Green Party on the left account for 62,005 registered voters. All those non-affiliated voters will be shut out of the May 17 primaries. Oregon gives political parties the right to determine who votes in their primaries and they've kept a status quo: Democrats vote for Democrats and Republicans vote for Republicans. Attempts to change the law to open primaries Oregon is a hold-out on using closed primaries. Washington in 2004 was the first state to go to "top two" primaries in which all candidates appear on the primary ballot and the top two vote-getters advance to the general election. California has used a similar system since 2010. But Oregon voters have shot down ballot measures to create open primaries in 2008 and 2014. Oregon Republican Party chair Dallas Heard, a state senator from Roseburg, called in February for Republicans to open their 2022 primary. But the idea was rejected at a meeting of party leaders. The non-affiliated voters are not a bloc. Jim Moore, a professor at Pacific University and outreach director of the Tom McCall Center for Civic Engagement, has noted that an analysis of voting patterns show the non-affiliated vote tends to mimic the partisan vote in any race. A non-affiliated voter in Portland is likely to vote Democratic and one in Ontario is likely to choose a Republican. There's also the question of motivation. Medford City Councilor Kevin Stine, a Democrat, said on social media that non-affiliated voters are less likely to turn in a ballot in November. "There will be more registered Dems that vote in November 2022 than registered NAVs," Stine said. "There's a big population of now-registered voters who are cycled into NAV that will choose not to vote." McLeod-Skinner gets more party nods County Democratic Party organizations in Clackamas and Marion County have endorsed Jamie McLeod-Skinner in her insurgent bid to beat U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, in the Democratic primary for the 5th Congressional District. McLeod-Skinner previously won the endorsements of the Deschutes and Linn county parties. Multnomah County Democrats have not endorsed. That leaves McLeod-Skinner short by 20,218 registered voters of the 170,681 Democrats represented by the five county parties in the district. In an anomaly of the redistricting process, the 5th district also includes four Democratic voters in a sliver of Jefferson County along the boundaries. Kristof's $1 million non-campaign Former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's 128-day campaign for governor rang-up over $1 million in spending before it was officially killed by the Oregon Supreme Court. State campaign finance records show that through Monday, Kristof raised over $2 million since creating a campaign finance committee on Oct. 12, 2021. Secretary of State Shemia Fagan knocked Kristof off the ballot on Jan. 20, saying he did not meet the residency requirement in the Oregon Constitution. Kristof challenged Fagan's interpretation in an appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court. It ruled against Kristof on Feb. 17, 2022. The "Nick for Oregon" political action committee has reported raising over $2 million and spending $1,064,876.34. Some of the top expenditures included $274,588.70 for legal work by the Seattle-based firm of Perkins Coie LLP. Classic Choice of Wilsonville received $304,806.82 for "payroll wages" going to Kristof's campaign workers. Bully Pulpit, a San Francisco digital marketing firm, was paid $160,000 for ads categorized as "persuasion." GMMB, a Washington, D.C. firm handling "media buys," collected $98,875.99 from Kristof. Kristof still has $$1,051,523.25 in the bank. Fagan's office said early this year that the money was not directly tied to her decision that ended Kristof's campaign. The remaining funds can be returned to contributors, given to other campaigns, or remain parked in a dormant account while Kristof decides his political future. Primary passivity The 2022 primary has a slew of important races but lacks the most reliable attraction for voters: A presidential election. So-called "midterm" elections always fall well short of turnout compared to years with a race for the White House on the ballot. The 2022 election is the first time since 2002 that the race for governor will not have an incumbent or former governor on the ballot. Voters will also choose who will represent the state's new U.S. House district, with two other likely tight congressional races. Add in a bumper crop of new voters, mostly unaffiliated "motor voters" who can't vote in closed primaries and you have a formula for a lower percentage of people who receive ballots in the mail, but never send them back. In the 16 primary elections since 1990, more than half of Oregon's registered voters have cast ballots just three times: 2000, 2008, and 2016 all presidential election years without an incumbent in the White House seeking a second term. The last time over 70% of registered primary voters actually voted was in 1968, when 74% of voters cast ballots. Oregon was one of just 14 states at the time to hold primaries. Bolstered by the high turnout, liberal Sen. Eugene McCarthy if Minnesota, beat Sen. Robert F. Kennedy of New York in the Democratic race. Richard Nixon won the GOP primary. The lowest primary turnout was 2018 when just 34% voted. In general elections, Oregon's biggest turnout was in 1960 when 86.5% cast ballots, with then Vice-President Richard Nixon beating Sen. John F. Kennedy, D-Mass, 52%-48%. Kennedy won the national vote. The lowest was in 1978, when just over 63% voted. Republican Vic Atiyeh had upset the political comeback of former Gov. Tom McCall in the primary, then went on to beat incumbent Democrat Robert Straub. Atiyeh would go on to win re-election in 1982. He was the last Republican to win a race for governor, as voters have chosen Democrats in every race through 2018. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan has increased gas exports from the Shah Deniz field by 9.3 percent in January-February 2022, local media has reported. In the first two months of the year, gas exports from the Shah Deniz field totaled 3.2 billion cubic meters. Shah Deniz accounted for 46.9 percent of the total volume of gas transported through the main gas pipelines in the reported period. In total, the country's main gas pipelines transported 6.9 billion cubic meters of gas in January-February, which is an increase by 6.4 percent. In 2021, the Shah Deniz field produced around 23 billion cubic meters of gas and more than 4 million tonnes of condensate. The existing Shah Deniz facilities production capacity is currently about 72 million standard cubic meters of gas per day. Shah Deniz field provides deliveries of gas to markets in Azerbaijan (to Azerkontrakt), Georgia (to GOGC), Turkey (to BOTAS), and to BTC Company in multiple locations. It should be noted that last year, Shah Deniz celebrates its 25th anniversary since the signing of the Shah Deniz Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). The contract on the development of the Shah Deniz gas field was signed in 1996. Shareholders of Shah Deniz project are: BP (operator, 28.8 percent), TPAO (19 percent), AzSD (10 percent), SGC Upstream (6.7 percent), PETRONAS (15.5 percent), LUKOIL (10 percent) and NICO (10 percent). Sweet Home is set to receive more than $30 million in federal funds to bring its aging wastewater treatment plant in line with federal law. The city's current system dates back to the 1940s, and the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant is slated to start soon. The city has been cited by Oregon Department of Environmental Quality a number of times over the years for violating the federal Clean Water Act. U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, whose district includes Sweet Home and Linn County, announced on Monday, March 28 that the city of Sweet Home will receive the $30.06 million to help the plant comply with the federal law. "Clean water is a basic, human right," DeFazio said in a statement. "I'm proud to help secure funding to enhance water infrastructure and better health in our community." Sweet Home was cited for various violations of the Clean Water Act on Oct. 13, 1998, based on a state Department of Human Services letter. The city received two administrative orders and multiple extensions to comply with the law, which it finally did on Dec. 2, 2009. Sweet Home was under orders to develop a plan to upsize and improve its wastewater treatment plant. A plan was drawn up in 2015, and the city has spent years finding a contractor and budgeting for the project. Built in the 1940s, the Sweet Home wastewater treatment plant has been upgraded several times in its history. It's needed dozens of renovations to better serve the city of 10,000 people and meet air quality regulations. In 2020, the Sweet Home City Council voted to stop outsourcing and bring overplant operations in-house to save taxpayers some $176,000 per year. The costs of the wastewater plant's major renovations totaled $28.2 million in 2019, millions of which would have come from state grants and city coffers. According to Sweet Home Public Works Director Greg Springman, the plant has struggled with managing excess capacity during rainy seasons. He said the federal funds allow the city to avoid taking out a loan and burdening taxpayers. "It's not just about we're going to fix this. We're going to build this new plant that we've been designing for three years, and it's going be paid for, and the customers don't have to pay for" it, Springman said. Springman said the city plans on breaking ground as soon as late July or early August. Portland-based Murraysmith & Associates Inc. has the contract. The new money comes from the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, a federal-state partnership offering low-cost financing to communities for water projects. Tim Gruver covers the city of Albany and Linn County. He can be contacted at 541-812-6114 or Tim.Gruver@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter via @T_TimeForce. 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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 With the 31 March deadline for the switch-off of analogue TV (ATV) fast approaching in South Africa, public broadcaster the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has highlighted its concerns about the potential impact of the switch-off on the public. SABC says it supports the plan to switch off all analogue TV transmitters but says that doing do by 31 March this year, despite the slow progress of set top box (STB) registrations and installations, presents an unsustainable risk to the rights of millions of poor households. A premature switch-off will deprive millions of people from important public television services, it says. The four provinces designated for switch-off on 31 March 2022 comprise 68% of South Africas population. As at February 2022 only 165,000 STBs out of 2.9 million poor households had been installed in the four outstanding provinces. This number is simply too low for the SABCs ATV services to be switched off in the four largest provinces, at this stage, says the SABC. The SABC does agree that the migration to digital television will enhance the quality of offerings, expand competitive advantage, and empower the public with more content variety and choices. However, it feels the analogue switch-off timetable should be extended to ensure that no South African is left behind or denied access to free-to-air television and public television services. Of course the timing of the switch-off of South Africas analogue TV signals is also of interest to mobile operators who want to expand or roll out 4G and 5G networks. Given that they may want to make use of some of the freed-up capacity the so-called digital dividend any long delay could be problematic. Yondr Group, a, developer, owner operator and service provider of data centres, has announced its entry into the Malaysian market with a planned 200MW hyperscale campus. The campus is to be developed on 72.8 acres of land acquired from TPM Technopark Sdn Bhd, whose interests include project management services for commercial and industrial developments. The land is strategically located in Sedenak Tech Park, described as a flagship data centre complex across 700 acres of land in Johor. The Sedenak Tech park, formerly known as Kulai Iskandar Data Exchange (KIDEX), is nestled in the heart of the larger 7,290 acres of Sedenak Technology Valley, an industrial and technology hub comprised of technology-driven developments such as advanced electrical and electronic, medical device manufacturing, green renewable energy, biotechnology and food tech, among other research and development facilities. Yondrs hyperscale campus will be developed across multiple phases and will deliver a total capacity of 200MW when fully completed, with the first phase scheduled for delivery in 2024. With access to at least 600MW of capacity, dark fibre connectivity, scalable utilities and infrastructure, Sedenak Tech Park is home to some of the largest data and cloud players within the Southeast Asia region. Our ability to secure this critical location in Sedenak Tech Park complements our existing presence in Jakarta, Indonesia, and further bolsters our strategic presence in this high-growth market, said Dave Newitt, CEO at Yondr Group. He also pointed out that Johor is close to other key data centre metros, including Singapore. Within Southeast Asia, Malaysias data centre market size is expected to hit a revenue of over US$800 million by 2025. Yondr says that the country is already experiencing increasing investment spill-overs due to inherent land constraints in other surrounding markets. Vietnam has highlighted several hurdles to spreading the popularity of mobile money among mobile phone users, but operators still back it for major growth. In a statement from the Vietnamese Ministry of information and communications, VNPT deputy director general Nguyen Son Hai was quoted stating the monthly limit of VND10 million (US$438) for transactions per user did not provide enough elbow room for bills and daily expenses. Another key obstacle to mobile moneys popularity is how it is not linked to a bank account like e-wallets despite performing similar functions, presenting inconvenience to those who make payments frequently via bank accounts. Deputy general director of MobiFone Bui Son Nam highlighted how mobile money requires people to subscribe through a new version of state-issued ID cards, but many citizens still use old cards and face the inconvenience of going in-store to update details. Bui also noted alternative financial technologies such as QR codes, e-wallets and internet banking have already taken the majority of market share. Bui highlighted Vietnam has a high rate of adults with bank accounts at 70%, which does not provide the landscape for mobile money to flourish. Currently, there are approximately 588,000 mobile money users in the Southeast Asian nation which accounts for 0.47% of total mobile phone users, according to data from the government. The technology was launched in December last year by Viettel and VNPT. VinaPhone general director Nguyen Truong Giang backed the technology to skyrocket in growth. We believe that once mobile money coverage becomes large enough in Q3 this year and subscribers get used to the money, [the] mobile money market will begin to skyrocket. Satellite operator Thaicom has penned an agreement with satellite and solutions provider Globalstar, to deploy commercial low earth orbit (LEO) and provide commercial services to boost Thailands tourism and maritime industries. In a statement, Thaicom and Globestar announced they will develop and operate ground stations in the country at the formers centre in Pathumthani province, enabling Globestars LEO satellites to deploy commercial services. The services will be aimed at encouraging personal life safety and management for tourism in Thailand as well as the maritime industry in the region. Both companies said the move will focus on enhancing security in maritime and tourism, which could also lead to LEO satellite business expansion throughout the country and the region. Thaicom CEO Patompob (Nile) Suwansiri: said: We are very pleased to partner with Globalstar. This collaboration is a strategic move in expanding our portfolio of cooperation with leading global LEO operators which will complement our existing satellite services. Our experience and expertise in the satellite industry, along with Globalstars world-class services for personnel safety and management will serve to provide our customers with advanced satellite solutions for the digital era. We believe this strategic alliance between the two companies will lay the foundation for a long-term relationship and sustainable growth in the satellite industry in this region. Moscow, ID (83843) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 44F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 44F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Gas production in Azerbaijan increased by about 73 percent from 2017 to 2021, the international rating agency S&P Global Ratings has reported. The agency noted that this figure will increase by another 20 percent by 2025. However, even taking into account the growth of production, in the medium term, gas exports will play a relatively small role in the economy of Azerbaijan and will be about 20 percent of hydrocarbon exports, the statement said. Over the past period, Azerbaijan has become not only a supplier but also a reliable transit country. As a result of the country's policy, Azerbaijan became a recognized member of the international community, proved itself as a reliable international partner, became a guarantor of European energy security, and laid the foundations for regional leadership. Azerbaijan also, having built an export pipeline reaching Europe, has shown that it is capable of large-scale projects. Since the commissioning till 1 February 2022, more than 191 billion cubic meters of gas was extracted from "Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli", and nearly 160 billion cubic meters from "Shah Deniz". During this period, more than 110 billion cubic meters of gas were exported from Shah Deniz. In addition, against the background of the recent world events, Azerbaijan and its energy resources are extremely needed for Europe. Gas supplies to Europe Energy Ministry international cooperation department head Orkhan Zeynalov told Asia Times that Azerbaijan plans to increase gas supplies to Europe to 9.1 billion cubic meters by late 2022. In 2021, 8.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas was exported to Europe, and in 2023 it is expected to supply 11 billion cubic meters to the European markets. As the countrys energy capacity shifts to renewable energy sources, new volumes of gas will be released for export, he said. Azerbaijan important player for Europes energy security Azerbaijani MP Javid Osmanov told local media that Azerbaijan plays an important role in ensuring Europes energy security. Azerbaijan has become an important player in ensuring Europes energy security as a result of the balanced policy which is pursued by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, he said. Noting that along with oil, Azerbaijan is already exporting gas to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor, he stressed that the countrys positions in the European gas market are being strengthened. There is no doubt that the supply of Azerbaijani gas to Europe will grow. High-ranking EU officials have also repeatedly expressed gratification with cooperation with Azerbaijan, he added. Exceeding the expectations Energy expert Ilham Shaban told local media that at this stage, Azerbaijan is clearly fulfilling its contracts and exceeding the expectations of European consumers. Thus, last year we delivered 8.1 billion cubic meters of gas to European markets. This year, despite the fact that we have declared 9 billion cubic meters, we will reach our projected capacity of 10 billion cubic meters. That is, we are increasing deliveries, he said. Shaban noted that the implementation of the second phase [of SGC development] will depend on applications and many other things, and will require additional gas volumes. It may be, for example, a couple of billion cubic meters from Dostlug field after the development of it begins. It could also be gas from Absheron in the future, the proven recoverable reserves of which are 350 billion cubic meters. There is also Babek field, estimated reserves of which are 400 billion cubic meters and Umid field with reserves of at least 200 billion cubic meters, he said. No matter how much gas is used for the domestic needs of the country, there is still a considerable amount of gas left for export to foreign markets, the expert added. Southern Gas Corridor Another MP Elshan Musayev told local media that the Southern Gas Corridor is a unique global industrial project that provides Azerbaijan with the opportunity to independently export its gas to the European markets. He added that Turkey and Georgia, as well as Italy, Greece and Bulgaria rapidly became consumers of Azerbaijani gas. The consumers from Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia will also be able to use Azerbaijani gas through the Ionian-Adriatic pipeline in the future, which will become the northern branch of TAP. A corresponding infrastructure is being already created in this sphere, he said. Musayev added that Azerbaijan is ready for new realities in the field of production, consumption, sale and processing of natural gas. PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.Florida law enforcement officials say they arrested 78 people from Alabama over the weekend here and confiscated 75 guns as spring break revelry devolved into chaos. What we saw this past weekend is absolutely unacceptable, Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said in a multi-agency press conference held late Monday morning. The behavior of these pathetic cowards that came to our beach and committed these crimes, their actions will not be tolerated. The weekend apparently started on a rowdy note before coming to a head on Sunday afternoon, when a 21-year-old from Alabama was shot in the foot. In a report aired before the shooting, Panama City-based ABC affiliate WMBB-TV reported that some beach roads had been shut down and some businesses had closed voluntarily, including a Walmart, due to gridlock and rowdy behavior. Interviewed at the time, Talamantez told the station that people were acting a fool but that there had been no violence and that he would not characterize any of the activity as a riot. On Sunday, the Majestic Towers Beach Resort posted on Facebook that things had been extremely eventful, to say the least. Last night, due to large crowds along Front Beach Road and large crowds walking through the local Walmart, knocking items off the shelves and destroying Walmart property, the Panama City Beach Police shut down portions of Front Beach Road, between Hutchison Blvd and Richard Jackson Blvd for approximately two hours in order to control the crowds, resort managers said in a post. While Panama City Beach Police had over 100 officers on duty last night from agencies all around the area, there were thousands upon thousands of visitors. Thankfully there were not any incidents on Majestic property. However, there were large crowds walking on the sidewalks, and through traffic along Front Beach Road. Keep in mind these were not your typical Spring Break crowd. Up until this weekend we had large crowds of Spring Breakers, without incident. The uneasy status quo didnt hold through Sunday. WJHG-TV, a Panama City-based NBC affiliate, reported that authorities had made some 161 arrests, including the 78 from Alabama. Talamantez and other said they had been braced for trouble for weeks or even months, related to a specific group of people allegedly motivated by a social media influencer. On Sunday, he said, offers were flooding into a particular area because of reports the situation was getting out of hand. Something caused the crowd to run onto a nearby roadway, and while police were trying to restore order, the shooting occurred nearby. At least six people were arrested at the scene. The chief also referred to an incident in which people had caused absolute destruction inside a Walmart. As Talamantez spoke, scores of pistols and rifles were laid out on a table before them. These guns were taken over a period of two days, the chief said. It could arm a small army. Semiautomatic weapons, long rifles, these are weapons brought to a resort destination. These are weapons brought to a beach. This is an event that weve been planning for and gathering intelligence on for two or three weeks, said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, referring to a group or event called Panamaniac. It allowed us to target the bad guys, and know where they were, and be there before they got there. Ford said law enforcement officials had been doing intelligence work for weeks. Over the weekend, they had used technology such as license plate readers and surveillance cameras to track people of interest, he said. Online materials for an event titled Panamaniac 2 Final Invasion appear to target a predominantly Black audience. Officials speaking at Mondays press conference did not address race, though some commenters suggested it had been a factor in the crackdown. Various officials said this was not a typical vacationing student crowd at all. The group doesnt represent spring breakers. These represent criminals, said Panama City Police Chief Mark Smith. This isnt what we want coming to our city, said Smith. We want the spring breakers, we want the tourists. We dont want this element. The element that brings this [a reference to the confiscated guns] is not the element thats desired in our city. We are not going to be tolerant to it, we are not going to permit it. Several officials reference the fact that spring break in Panama City Beach was marred by lawlessness that made national headlines several years ago, and the city has tried to present a more family friendly face since then. These are behaviors that we as a community have fought before and won and gone on to become a premier family destination, said Ford. We will not tolerate bad behavior in Panama City Beach in any way, shape or form. If you want to come here and be a bad person, you picked the wrong place, said Mayor Mark Sheldon. This was not spring breakers. So trust me when I tell you, this is just a bad element of people who did this. Talamantez said there was no framework in place to gauge the way social media could amplify a developing situation. One post can go viral, one post can be a dud, its hard to gauge that, he said. What we saw today, or what we saw this weekend, was a social media influencer that had a lot of followers, a lot of people wanting to follow his nonsense. Large spring break crowds are expected in Panama City Beach, Florida this week. Local police said they are prepared, even as reports that an Alabama man was injured in a Sunday shooting at a Waffle House. Panama City Beach expected a large crowd this weekend. We had a plan in place due to a large number of visitors over the weekend. We have approximately 100 officers from our agency, the Bay County Sheriffs Office, Lynn Haven Police Department, Panama City Police Department, and Florida Highway Patrol along with other surrounding agencies, to provide service to our residents, visitors, and businesses, the department said in a statement to WJHG.com. We have partnered with our local businesses to close their parking lots when their businesses are closed or to close their doors early if needed. We encourage our residents to call our police dispatch if they need anything and to remember we are here as a city to protect everyone, the statement added. Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said the community and law enforcement are frustrated by spring breakers who cause problems when they visit. The harsh reality is we cannot control who comes to town, Talamantez said. But what we can control is what happens to you if you commit a crime in this town. Talamantez added that while no curfews are in place at this point nothing is off the table. A 21-year-old Alabama man, who has not been identified, was shot around 4:30 p.m. Sunday near Shipwreck Ltd. on Front Beach Road. Three people were arrested. Numerous firearms were also seized, the police said. Law enforcement also closed a two-mile stretch of Front Beach Road Saturday due to spring break crowds. Several Front Beach Road businesses, including Walmart, closed Saturday night in response to the crowds. One of the responsibilities of the Secretary of State is determining, on behalf of the United States, whether atrocities have been committed. On March 21, Secretary Antony Blinken exercised that responsibility by declaring that members of Burmas military committed genocide and crimes against humanity against the countrys Rohingya Muslim minority. Its a decision that I reached based on reviewing a factual assessment and legal analysis prepared by the State Department, which included detailed documentation by a range of independent, impartial sources, including human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as our own rigorous fact-finding." One such source is a 2018 report compiled by the Department of State. The report was based on a survey of more than 1,000 Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh, all of whom were displaced by the violence in 2016 or 2017. Three-quarters of those interviewed said that they personally witnessed members of the military kill someone. More than half witnessed acts of sexual violence. One in five witnessed a mass-casualty event that is, the killing or injuring of more than 100 people in a single incident. The evidence also points to a clear intent behind these mass atrocities the intent to destroy Rohingya, said Secretary Blinken. Intent is evident in public comments by Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of the Burmese military, who was overseeing the operation. On September 1, 2017, as soldiers were razing villages, killing, torturing, raping men, women, and children, he said this, and I quote: The Bengali problem was a long-standing one that has become an unfinished job The government in office is taking great care in solving it." Percentages, numbers, patterns, intent: these are critically important to reach the determination of genocide, said Secretary Blinken. Of course, the path out of genocide also runs through justice Local and international human rights organizations have spent years documenting atrocities against Rohingya and other ethnic and religious groups in Burma. The case files are growing, he said, and the day will come when those responsible for these appalling acts will have to answer for them. With todays determination, the United States reaffirms its broader commitment to accompany Rohingya on this path out of genocide toward truth, toward accountability, toward a home that will welcome them as equal members, that will respect their human rights and dignity, alongside that of all people in Burma. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijani artists have celebrated the arrival of spring season and all the beauty that it brings in its wake. Colorful paintings inspired by the spring season have been showcased at the Art Tower Gallery. The exhibition timed to Novruz holiday featured art works inspired by Novruz holiday created by artists during the workshop. Vibrant paintings by Nigar Narimanbayova, Eldar Babazade, Roya Hasanova, Nigar Familsa, Kamilla Muradova, Nigar Niyazova, Ainur Mustafayeva, Roza Muradova, Leyla Orujeva, Ayten Abdullayeva and other artists delighted the art lovers at first glance. Co-organized by the Icharishahar State Historical-Architectural Reserve and Arts Council Azerbaijan, the exhibition was curated by Sabina Najafova. Speaking about the exhibition the head of the Arts Council Azerbaijan Dadash Mammadov said that the exposition includes works created by the artists during the workshop "A friendly atmosphere always reigns at our workshops, artists talk, discuss new trends in art. By the way, many art lovers visited the gallery to watch workshop and enjoy the works of renown artists...," Mammadov said. World-famous artist Nigar Narimanbayova expressed her gratitude to the head of the Arts Council Azerbaijan Dadash Mammadov for intimation to take part in the workshop. "Now I am creating a series of female portraits - phantasmagoric, magical, magical images. I always say that a woman is the crown of nature, she is mysterious and magical. One of these beautiful female images is reflected in my painting entitled "The Lady in Blue". This fabulous beauty makes it possible to see the world through the blue color. I love blue very much, now I have a whole series of paintings in these colors. Blue is the color of the night, mystery, dreams, the starry sky, the universe. The Lady in Blue is depicted against the backdrop of the universe. An owl sits on her shoulder - a bird symbolizing the wisdom of female nature. There are angels playing trumpets next to her. She stretches out her hands to everything beautiful, kind and bright ... ", said Narimanbayova. National artist Leyla Orujeva noted a unique atmosphere in the Art Tower Gallery. "Talented and interesting artists gather at the Art Tower Gallery. Here we discuss and work on a chosen topic. This process helps to reveal the artist's inner potential. Suddenly you want to express something on canvas that you did not expect. Last time it was associated with temptation and inspiration. What inspires me? For several days I thought about it. There are so many things around and I realized that it is my dreams that tempt and inspire me to move forward," said Orujeva. The artist stressed that her daughter Aliyah also inspires her to create masterpieces. Her painting depicts a girl who releases tits from a cage and follows a crane, soaring at dawn over beloved the city of Baku. Media partners of the event are Azernews.az, Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az. In the recent phone call between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping of the Peoples Republic of China, the conversation focused on Putins unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. President Biden laid out the efforts taken by the United States and its Allies to prevent and then respond to Russias war against Ukraine, including by imposing costs on Russia. The White House said President Biden described the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians. Recently, the PRC and Russia have grown closer. In February, their leaders signed a joint statement declaring the two countries relationship as a partnership without limits. The PRC has failed to condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine, the killing and displacement of innocent civilians and the destruction of its cities. Biden Administration officials have voiced concern that the PRC may be considering assisting Russia with military equipment and economic support that would allow Russia to mitigate the impact of sanctions imposed by countries around the world in response to its aggression. After the call, White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki said President Biden was satisfied he had clearly conveyed to President Xi the consequences for the PRC if it were to help Putins war effort, and she noted that the lines of communication between the United States and the PRC remain open. Now, she said, President Xi has to decide what hes going to do here. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price emphasized that it is the responsibility of every country to make clear where it stands on Russias unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Because of its relationship to Russia, the PRC, he said, could bring an end to this violence, this bloodshed, this destruction, and this war. But we have not seen that yet. For years, Spokesperson Price noted, China has stressed the importance of the sovereignty of all states. When sovereignty comes under attack, he declared, countries around the world have an opportunity to demonstrate whether what they have said...actually means anything. . .If the PRC wants to show the world that it means what it says, that it stands behind the principles that it has claimed to stand behind for years and decades, said Mr. Price, now is an opportunity for them to do so. ELKO The University of Nevada, Reno and Great Basin College have teamed up to offer a Social Work program for students who reside in rural Nevada and wish to pursue a bachelors degree in social work a profession that is in high demand in rural Nevada. Through this program, students complete the equivalent of the first three years of academic study at GBC through online and interactive video classes. Students complete their final year of study as a UNR student through online classes, attending classes live one weekend per month on UNR campus, while completing an internship in their own communities. Social workers perform a broad spectrum of duties ranging from child and family social workers, school counseling, gerontology, mental health, social justice and more. An open house will be held via Zoom on May 9, at noon Pacific time. For more information about the orientation, contact Laura Debenham at 775-727-2023 or email Laura.Debenham@gbcnv.edu. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Nevada Mining Associations first in-person Reverse Expo since 2019 was a hit, with roughly 120 people attending the March 24 event at the Winnemucca Convention Center, according to Miranda Hoover, membership services manager for the association. Now, were back and better than ever, she said. We had a fabulous turnout. She said we had the most amount of supplier attendees that weve ever had. We had phenomenal rave reviews from operators and proprietors, and we were so excited to be back in person to do the expo. The Reverse Expo was held online during the COVID-19 pandemic but the in-person event was on hold. In the Reverse Expo, mining companies had tables, and the suppliers came to them to tell them one-on-one about their services and products. There were vendors in Winnemucca specializing in engineering, pipe materials, construction, large equipment and more, plus nonprofit organizations, the association reported. Hoover said there were 10 operators. They included Nevada Gold Mines, the joint venture of Barrick Gold Corp. and Newmont Corp. that owns Carlin, Cortez, Turquoise Ridge, Phoenix and Long Canyon mines in Nevada; and Kinross Gold Corp., which operates the Bald Mountain and Round Mountain mines. Also attending were representatives of KGHM, which operates the Robinson copper and gold mine near Ely; Argonaut Gold Inc., which has the Florida Canyon Mine west of Winnemucca; and ioneer Ltd., the company that operates the Rhyolite Ridge lithium and boron project in Esmeralda County. Another company present was i-80 Gold Corp., which has the Granite Creek mining and exploration project in Humboldt County, the McCoy-Cove exploration project south of Battle Mountain, the Lone Tree Complex along Interstate 80 and Ruby Hill Mine at Eureka. In addition, the operators included Nevada Copper, owner of the Pumpkin Hollow copper mine at Yerington; First Majestic Silver, which operates the Jerritt Canyon Mine north of Elko; McEwen Mining, which has the Gold Bar in Eureka County; and Coeur Mining, owner of the Rochester silver and gold mine near Lovelock. There also were 11 vendor booths at the convention center, and Hoover said there was a My Ride to Work bus outside for attendees to tour to learn more about the company that provides shuttle services. It was great, Hoover said of the bus opportunity. The Reserve Expo additionally featured a dinner sponsored by Ames Construction, and a couple networking events. Other event sponsors were Jentech Drilling Supply, Turner Mining Group, Imperial Pipe, Greater Nevada Credit Union, Greenfield Project Development Services, Working Athlete, Nevada Business Group on Health and the mining association. The next Reverse Expo to be put on by the Nevada Mining Association will be during the associations convention at Lake Tahoe in September, Hoover said. The convention will be Sept. 7-10. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRING CREEK Residents opinions on Spring Creeks strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats were gathered from property owners attending community meetings hosted by the University of Nevada, Renos College of Business Center for Economic Development. Frederick Steinmann from the College of Business led the first two workshops on Thursday, asking residents to provide their thoughts on Spring Creek in a SWOT analysis to develop a five-year comprehensive strategic plan for the association. About 83 people total signed up to attend one of five meetings at the Fairway Community Center. This is the time for the community to provide input as to what our members would like to see happen with the amenities, programs, economic development and our future as an HOA, said Jessie Bahr, association president and general manager. Steinmann said the goal of the meetings was to allow community members to express their thoughts about living in Spring Creek, improvements and other issues through the SWOT analysis. He said he received a wide range of comments during the first two meetings. The topics included emergency access out of Spring Creek, managing growth in the community, retaining the rural lifestyle, Spring Creeks relationship to other entities, amenities, water rates, youth activities, elderly services, transportation and more. UNR will use the feedback gained through the sessions with the SCAs recent community survey and a socio-demographic, economic and housing data analysis from UNR. The universitys College of Business Center for Economic Development is partnering with the association to develop the strategic plan, Steinmann explained. After UNR compiles the data and comments into a report, the next step will be to hold meetings with Spring Creek stakeholders and one-on-one operational sessions to draft the five-year strategic plan. Then it is submitted to the Board, who gathers more comments before it is finalized. Bahr said it could take about two months to have the plan ready. The results of the meetings and the survey will be released to the public via the associations Facebook page and announced through email blasts to property owners. Eric Hearth moved to Spring Creek four years ago to work as a geologist. He attended Thursday nights meeting to participate in the strategic planning. I love it here, and I want to be part of the growth. I want to be an active member of the community to help drive the future rather than just be a bystander, he said. Hearth said some of Spring Creeks strengths included the landscape, elbow room and rural atmosphere, which he thinks should be protected. However, a few more businesses and restaurants could be added within the area. One thing I want to see is a little more business development, to a degree. I dont want us to turn into an Elko shopping center, Hearth explained. I chose Spring Creek over Elko for the rural lifestyle. Some growth, but not out-of-control growth. Judy Walker attended Thursday nights meeting with her husband and contributed her thoughts to the SWOT analysis. Walker said she hopes the association would include diversified activities for youth and older members in their five-year plan so that theres something for both age ranges, and safety is a big thing. Josh Anderson, who has lived in Spring Creek for about 30 years, said he liked hearing from other residents. It was interesting to hear peoples different views on things, their thoughts, and why they think the way they do, he said. I think we need more involvement from the community. The more communication, the better, Anderson explained. He credited the association for seeking other revenue streams, trying to get more bang for our buck. [Theyre] looking for grants and looking at other options to do what we want to do and maintain what we have, but still grow the right way. SCA Board chairman Josh Park said the five-year plan will help translate the communitys vision into goals that will enable the association to better serve the community. This plan will show where the Association is going over the next five years and how it plans to get there, Park continued. It will provide the framework to link identified objectives to the budget process, capital improvement plan, important policy considerations, economic development initiatives, and the associations desire for continuous improvement. After being hired six years ago, Bahr said she and the association developed its first five-year strategic plan, creating an operational plan to make sure that ties to the staffs performance reviews. Thats how were getting things done. To develop the next five-year strategic plan, Bahr said the SCA wanted to gather community input to determine what should be prioritized and how revenue is to be spent. She credited the Board of Directors and SCA staff for their work and efforts over the past several years. Theyre really looking to the future of how we keep property values up, how were going to help the community. I think we have a strong base with a strong staff working on getting things done. Hearth and Walker said they were happy to see the association be proactive and invite the communitys thoughts on building the five-year plan. I love it, Hearth said. I know the association receives a lot of flak for different issues, but I commend them for making the effort to try and make this a better community and fix the obvious problems that we agree on. Kudos to them, and I want to be part of it as well. I like the fact that the association is getting people involved and their input so they can find out what the people want instead of just saying, Were going to do this and deal with it, kind of thing, Walker added. Theyve never done that before. For those unable to attend any of the meetings in person, Steinmann said he would be available to schedule two virtual sessions and welcomes more input from those who contact him. To sign up for the virtual meetings or submit comments, email Steinmann at fred@unr.edu. Love 1 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ELKO Children up to 8 years old and their families are invited to a Next Step Early Childhood Roundup from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 23 at the Elko Basque Clubhouse. Organized by the Elko County Early Childhood Advisory Council, Next Steps is a free event to provide educational resources and support for children. The event will include representatives from area elementary schools, early childhood organizations and nonprofits, handing out parenting information and free storybooks to all children. Transition information will be available for the families of children up to the second grade. Creative science and literacy-based activities will be offered, along with a petting zoo, storytelling, balloons galore, Smokey the Bear and other games and activities. Community food vendors will also be available during the event. Visitors may donate pre-packaged or canned items for food-insecure families. The Elko County Early Childhood Advisory Council is partnering with the Elko County School District, Northeastern Nevada Head Start, the Childrens Cabinet and Nevada Department of Education for the event. For more information, to set up a booth or become a sponsor, contact EECAC co-chairs Melinda Gomez at mgomez@ecsdnv.net and Lisa Calder at lcalder@ecsdnv.net. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As our European allies scramble to disentangle themselves from dependence on Russian energy and as American consumers struggle with soaring prices at the gas pump there are ever-louder calls for a renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) future. These technologies, as the thinking goes, will finally offer the United States a clean break from petro-dictators that has eluded us since the oil crisis of the 1970s. But a pivot away from oil hardly means an easy or clean break from resource geopolitics. In fact, a potentially accelerated energy transition means Americas energy security is now on a collision course with our mineral insecurity. Wind and solar power, plus EVs and the lithium-ion batteries that power them, are remarkably minerals-intensive. As the International Energy Agency reported last year, the energy transition is likely to increase critical mineral demand six-fold by 2040. For some minerals such as the lithium, nickel, and cobalt used for EV batteries demand could jump 30-fold or more. But who controls the production and processing of these minerals? Its a question just as messy and important as who holds sway over global oil and gas production. Unfortunately, China is the dominant player in the critical minerals space. China controls 70 percent of the worlds lithium supplies and 85 percent of rare earth metals. Beijings dominance of these supply chains has enabled it to corner the market on advanced energy manufacturing with China producing the vast majority of the worlds solar modules and lithium-ion batteries. China has turned mineral supply chains into an enormous source of geopolitical leverage not unlike how Russia has used its energy trade with Europe. And where China has built its strength with mineral supply chains, the U.S. is painfully weak. Americas mineral import-reliance has doubled in just two decades. Were now import-reliant on 47 minerals and 100 percent reliant on imports for 17 of them. Recognizing the urgency of the moment and the scale of the minerals challenge, a bipartisan group of Senators recently urged President Biden to use the Defense Production Act to address the nations mineral insecurity. It appears thats exactly what the administration is now considering. If the president is serious about reshoring American manufacturing and providing the supply chains his climate ambitions need while shoring up U.S. energy security the Defense Production Act is exactly the tool he needs to employ. Relying only on the market to dig us out of our mineral import-reliance or to combat Chinas industrial policy simply isnt going to work. We need to massively scale up Americas mineral production and processing, and we need to do it right now. Mining is a capital and time-intensive industry, made all the more time-intensive by self-imposed regulatory barriers. Employing the Defense Production Act can help cut red tape, de-risk investment in mining, and spur production at the speed and scale we need. Russias invasion of Ukraine and the supply chain disruptions of the pandemic are forcing a rethink of resource and energy security, and the vulnerabilities inherent in overstretched global supply chains. Its a reevaluation long overdue. As the world leans into the energy transition, rebuilding Americas industrial base from the mine up is an urgent task that simply cant wait. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Headlines - Abramovich and two other members of peace talks delegation between Ukraine and Russia experienced symptoms consistent with poisoning in early March - The so-called Luhansk Peoples Republic plans to hold referendum to join Russia - President Biden says that Putin "cannot remain in power" - Anthony Blinken clarifies that the US has no intention of regime change in Russia or anywhere - One month into the war, reports show that Russia will withdraw troops from Kyiv to boost fighting in the Donbas region. - Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine continue, no agreements made on a ceasefire, security guarantees, no compromises on territorial integrity reports, says Ukraine''s Minster of Foreign Affairs - Ukrainian forces retaking the city of Kherson from Russian control, Ukrainian officials say Irpin liberated - India is working on currency exchange with Russia so that the countries can continue trade Russia-Ukraine: Conflict Background - Foreign fighters like "Wali" are targets of the Russian army - How many casualties has Russia suffered? Related News A Fuxing bullet train runs on the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway in the Tibet autonomous region on June 24, 2021. Jiao Hongtao/For China Daily Adjustments part of routine operation that will also boost shipments of coal China will operate a new national railway schedule from April 8, China State Railway Group announced recently, with passengers able to buy tickets from next Saturday. Until then, the network has suspended the sale of tickets for journeys commencing on or after April 8. The move triggered heated discussion online over the weekend, with the topic at one stage becoming one of the top 10 discussed by netizens. Travelers can usually buy tickets as early as 15 days before a trip. The new schedule will better cater to passengers' travel needs, according to 12306.cn, the official website of the railway ticket booking system. Adjustments to the railway schedule are a routine operation, usually happening once a quarter. The group adjusted schedules four times last yearin January, April, June and October. The new schedule, which sees new railway lines opening to traffic and adjustments to the number of passenger and freight train services, aims to provide tailored railway services to ensure stability in the domestic economy and high-quality opening-up, the national railway operator said. More international freight railway services and intermodal transport involving sea-rail freight trains will be arranged in the new schedule to better serve the international supply chain and improve high-quality opening-up, the group said. There will be four extra daily freight services on the China-Laos Railway. Additionally, more freight services will be operated between China and Europe, and the number of services along the new western land-sea corridor will be increased. The group said the new schedule will enhance high-speed railway connectivity in East and Central China, offering passengers more choices. A new high-speed railway line linking Huanggang and Huangmei in Central China's Hubei province will open soon, reducing travel times between Hubei and East China's Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces and Shanghai. More services to transport coal for power generation will be organized, and more freight train services carrying coal will be arranged on the new railway line linking Heshun in Shanxi province, a key producer, with Xingtai, Hebei province, to transport coal to East China. Services on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway lines will also release more capacity on regular speed lines that will be used to transport coal. More services will also be arranged in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to transport coal produced in the area. The new schedule will also rearrange some services to avoid passing through flood-prone areas in East China's Fujian province during the flood season. * Experts said China's conspicuous success in alleviating poverty could be of valuable guidance for Africa in its fight against poverty and pursuit of sustainable development. * "Give people fish, and you feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime." This is an old Chinese saying which best captures the essence of China's assistance to African countries. * China's initiative to build a community with a shared future for mankind has the potential to significantly reduce poverty in Africa and elsewhere across the developing world. NAIROBI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- In spite of abundant resources, a large population and a vast market, Africa is still the world's least developed continent, beset by continuous poverty and hunger. Sharing a similar underdeveloped past with Africa, China achieved its ambitious goal of eliminating extreme poverty in 2020, improving the living standards of hundreds of millions of people through decades of development. Experts said China's conspicuous success in alleviating poverty could be of valuable guidance for Africa in its fight against poverty and pursuit of sustainable development. CHINESE MODEL OF ENDING POVERTY In sub-Saharan Africa, most people live on less than 1.9 U.S. dollars a day, the World Bank's extreme-poverty benchmark. According to the United Nations (UN), because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy of sub-Saharan Africa is expected to see serious deterioration, with an additional 26 million people living below the international poverty line. Cavince Adhere, a Kenyan international relations expert, said that China's success in alleviating rural poverty through leveraging technology-led farming methods is an inspiration to Kenya and other developing countries. "Contrary to many countries where development is often associated with investments in cities and other urban centers, China prioritized rural areas in its poverty reduction efforts where agriculture played a major role," Adhere said in a recent commentary. He said that China has become the first developing country to achieve the first of the UN's 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), adding that modern farming has hastened the realization of that feat. "China's efforts offer good insights for Kenya's socio-economic transformation," he said. Paul Zilungisele Tembe, a researcher at the University of South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute, said China's experience is a model to the world about what is possible when there is decisive leadership, uninterrupted legal and policy continuity, bottom-up people's empowerment, solid intergovernmental relations and private sector partnerships, and leveraging contextual circumstances including geography, politics, technology. All these factors have coalesced and translated into "poverty eradication with Chinese characteristics," said the expert, adding that "it is not inconceivable for South Africa to replicate the Chinese model of ending poverty in all its forms." HELP FROM CHINA "Give people fish, and you feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime." This is an old Chinese saying which best captures the essence of China's assistance to African countries. In Burkina Faso, national rice production met only 30 percent of the population's consumption needs in 2018. "Based on the actual needs of the Burkina Faso people, our mission is to develop rice cultivation, increase rice production, while expanding the cultivation area and promoting new technologies," said Hu Yuzhou, head of a Chinese agricultural technical assistance team in the country. Chinese experts not only provide seeds, fertilizers and agricultural machinery, but also participate in the whole farming process. According to Gaoussou Sanou, national coordinator of the Burkina Faso-China agricultural cooperation program, thanks to China's help, the rice output in the demonstration area of Nariou village in 2021 reached 5-6 tons per hectare, which is two to three times that of the previous year, and the quality of rice has also been significantly improved. In Guinea-Bissau, over the past three years, experts of the 11th Chinese agri-technical team to the country, based in 13 rice production areas in the three provinces of Bafata, Gabu and Oio, have carried out "technology plus material" aid to this west-African country and achieved remarkable results. In Madagascar, the average yield of hybrid rice produced with Chinese technologies is two to three times more than that of local ones. In Zambia, China-funded milling plants reduced the price of mealie meal used in making Zambia's staple food Nshima. In Tanzania, the government has used funds from China to develop the Juncao technology for livestock fodder and mushroom production. "The Juncao technology will increase mushroom production and consumption which will contribute to food security in the country," Tanzanian Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Mashimba Ndaki has said. Melaku Mulualem, a senior international relations and diplomacy researcher at Ethiopia's Institute of Strategic Affairs, emphasized the need for African countries to make full use of China's technology transfer and capacity building support to Africa as a springboard to replicate its success in poverty alleviation. Mulualem said Africa and the rest of the least developed countries should also learn from China about how to tap its human resource potential. "Especially for least developed countries, high population can be a curse; but for China, it is an opportunity, because they are using the brain and hands of the people to innovate and produce new things," said Mulualem. During the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in late November 2021, China announced nine programs to strengthen China-Africa cooperation in such fields as poverty reduction, agricultural development and digital innovation. A SHARED FUTURE Commending China's poverty alleviation endeavors, the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Josefa Sacko said Africa should replicate China's success in reducing poverty, with particular emphasis on rural development. "I had the opportunity to go to China and I saw the way they transform the rural areas into urban areas," said the commissioner. "The Chinese practice in poverty reduction shows that high and sustained inclusive development is critical to reducing poverty," said the AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga, adding that he believes that poverty reduction in Africa also requires the same strong political commitment and will as China has demonstrated. According to Muchanga, one of the key elements that African countries can learn from China's extraordinary experience in ending extreme poverty is the establishment of township industries where poverty was most pronounced. Muchanga highlighted the AU's keen intent to partner with China in realizing the targeted average annual growth of over 7 percent set by the AU's Agenda 2063, noting that it is also necessary to learn from China's sustainable eco-friendly development endeavors. "Sustainable development simply means development without compromising the environment. When China comes to the second position in global economy, it is not by compromising the environment. So, the experience of China is helpful for Africa to alleviate poverty and drought," Muchanga stressed. China's initiative to build a community with a shared future for mankind has the potential to significantly reduce poverty in Africa and elsewhere across the developing world, Mulualem said. "Shared future means to think about the people of the world at large," said Mulualem, adding that "Africa can also benefit from this shared future vision." Economic growth has little meaning unless it can give people a better life. China takes aim at a 5.5-percent growth target for 2022, vowing to create more than 11 million urban jobs and place development and people's livelihoods front and center. As Chinese President Xi Jinping has said, "To meet people's desire for a happy life is our mission." The people-centered approach, embodied in Xi's economic thought widely known as "Xiconomics," is charting course for China's high-quality growth and common development of all nations through win-win cooperation. MEETING PEOPLE'S NEEDS "What we now face is the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life," Xi said at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2017. From meeting people's growing material and cultural needs to delivering a better life to all Chinese people, as Xi has stressed that "Putting people first is our fundamental philosophy of governance." "The thought, which creatively combines the aspiration of human beings for a better life with the practice of people-oriented development, is of global influence," said Australian economist Guo Shengxiang. To meet the people's desire for a happy life is a challenge for governments worldwide, particularly at a time when the international community is struggling to reduce the development gap, and prevent environmental degradation. In this regard, the Chinese president stressed efforts to unswervingly pursue high-quality development and improve the people's well-being. By drawing a blueprint for China's development, Xi is leading the country along the path for high-quality growth and towards building a modern economic system and promoting common development. Guided by his economic thought, China's economy is contributing to building an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that boasts lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity with better products, better services and a bigger market. Xi's economic philosophy is full of oriental wisdom and is conducive to the development of the world, noted Honson To, chairman of KPMG China and Asia Pacific. "It is an advanced thought that suits China's national conditions and the development trend of the world," he said. BOOSTING COMMON DEVELOPMENT From China's growth to the common development of countries worldwide, Xi's economic thought addresses the needs and difficulties of global development through cooperation frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Global Development Initiative. "We need to have the vision to dissect these problems; more importantly, we need to have the courage to take actions to address them," Xi said at the 2017 World Economic Forum. In carrying out foreign economic and trade cooperation, China has taken into full consideration the needs and development interests of its partners. "China's train is the most beautiful ... We will have the same train soon in our country," said Khamphet Keomixay, a Lao pupil who participated in a sub-forum on people-to-people exchanges during the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in 2019. Keomixay's dream came true when the China-Laos Railway was put into operation in 2021. The railway, which connects Kunming, the capital city of southwestern China's Yunnan Province, and Vientiane, the capital of Laos, ushered in a bright prospect for the development of both countries and the Southeast Asia. From the China-Laos Railway to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, from the Chinese-Belarusian industrial park to the Port of Piraeus, China and its partners have jointly built infrastructure projects which have brought substantial benefits to local people. By the end of February 2022, over 140 countries as well as more than 30 international organizations have signed BRI cooperation documents with China. The BRI cooperation is "not only aimed at promoting economic integration but also solving social problems in the countries taking part in this initiative, particularly issues like raising the level and quality of people's lives," said Alexander Petrov, a professor of St. Petersburg State University. BOOSTING COMMON DEVELOPMENT From China's growth to the common development of countries worldwide, Xi's economic thought addresses the needs and difficulties of global development through cooperation frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Global Development Initiative. "We need to have the vision to dissect these problems; more importantly, we need to have the courage to take actions to address them," Xi said at the 2017 World Economic Forum. In carrying out foreign economic and trade cooperation, China has taken into full consideration the needs and development interests of its partners. "China's train is the most beautiful ... We will have the same train soon in our country," said Khamphet Keomixay, a Lao pupil who participated in a sub-forum on people-to-people exchanges during the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in 2019. Keomixay's dream came true when the China-Laos Railway was put into operation in 2021. The railway, which connects Kunming, the capital city of southwestern China's Yunnan Province, and Vientiane, the capital of Laos, ushered in a bright prospect for the development of both countries and the Southeast Asia. From the China-Laos Railway to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, from the Chinese-Belarusian industrial park to the Port of Piraeus, China and its partners have jointly built infrastructure projects which have brought substantial benefits to local people. By the end of February 2022, over 140 countries as well as more than 30 international organizations have signed BRI cooperation documents with China. The BRI cooperation is "not only aimed at promoting economic integration but also solving social problems in the countries taking part in this initiative, particularly issues like raising the level and quality of people's lives," said Alexander Petrov, a professor of St. Petersburg State University. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Foodies from all over the country have gathered in Gobustan to taste a variety of rice dishes. The International Pilaf Festival gathered culinary chefs from Azerbaijan, India, Qatar,Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The festival visitors enjoyed multiple rice dishes served with lamb, greens, chestnuts, apricots, raisins, etc. The International Pilaf Festival in Gobustan was followed by a spectacular show with actors, pehlivans, Novruz characters, gala concert, exhibition and handicraft fair. The event was co-organized by the Culture Ministry and the Gobustan State Historical and Artistic Reserve. Azerbaijani cuisine features a large number of pilaf dishes. The traditional cuisine includes over 40 rice recipes. Each region is famous for its own culinary masterpiece. Shakh Pilaf (Crown pilaf) is the signature dish of national cuisine. The name of this dish is derived from its shape which resembles the crown of a Medieval Eastern ruler. Pilaf is traditionally presented as the main dish at wedding ceremonies in Azerbaijan. With fresh and juicy greens, Sabzi Pilaf is especially popular in spring. You can also eat the dish with yogurt mixed with crushed garlic. Parcha-dosheme pilaf is cooked with all the ingredients in one pot, but placed in careful layers. Start with meat, then onions, then rice. Toyuq pilaf is cooked with chicken, rice, saffron and dried fruits. Qazmaq is a crust made at the bottom of the pan when the rice is steamed. Traditionally, a crust is prepared from eggs, flours, butter and yogurt. One can also lay peeled sliced potatoes or lavash (flat bread) on the bottom of the pan. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) meets delegates at the event (Photo: VNA) The event, held on the occasion of the 91st founding anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU), honoured outstanding young people selected from 138 candidates, including self-nominated persons, who showed excellent performance in various areas. Addressing the event, the State leader underlined that after 91 years of development, the HCYU has affirmed its role as a socio-political organisation of Vietnamese youth . The Party and State aways trust and pay great attention to youngsters and young talents. The 13th National Party Congress has defined the development of high-quality human resources and the attraction of talents as one of the key and breakthrough solutions, he said, adding that the Youth Law 2020 also clarifies the policies to honour and attract young talents for the national construction and defence. The State leader hailed the HCYUs efforts in detecting and nurturing young talents through effective activities, including the Vietnam Outstanding Young Face Award. He recognised the contributions that winners of the award have made to the nation and community. Showing his strong confidence in the young generation, the President expressed belief that more talents will be developed among Vietnamese youth, contributing to the national defence and development. With their strong will, great energy and desire to rise up, youngsters will join efforts by the whole Party, military and people to successfully implement the 13th National Party Congresss Resolution, turning Vietnam into a developed country with high income at the same level as powers across the world, he underlined. He called on all youngsters and children across the country to be strongly aware of their responsibility towards the nation, and study and follow President Ho Chi Minhs ideology, moral example and lifestyle. He asked the HCYU Central Committee, the Vietnam Young Talent Fund and Tien Phong (Vanguard) Newspaper to continue to renovate the operations of the fund and the selection of outstanding Vietnamese young faces. He aslo asked ministries, sectors and localities as well as social organisations, businesses and people to join hands in youth development and promoting young talents for a bright future of the nation./. ADB firmly supports Uzbekistans continued prioritization of structural reforms while boosting private sector engagement in the economy, said Mr. Asakawa on his first visit to Uzbekistan as ADB President. Were committed to bringing the private sector to the frontline of economic development. In addition to financial resources, we will continue supporting reforms and helping state-owned enterprises in strategic sectors including banking, energy, and water supply. Source: ADB Uzbekistan is aiming to transfer 20% of public services to the private sector and expand the share of the private sector in its gross domestic product to 80% by 2026. ADB is active in the financial, infrastructure, and agribusiness sectors of Uzbekistans private sector. Uzbekistan is ADBs largest client for publicprivate partnership (PPP) transaction advisory support. The bank has successfully closed three transaction advisory mandates in renewable energy, water and wastewater, and district heating in Uzbekistan. ADB is working to develop new PPP projects in health care, solid waste, education, wastewater, and renewable energy. ADB has also supported the government to revise the countrys PPP law in line with international best practices and create a stronger enabling environment for private participation in infrastructure. Mr. Asakawa highlighted the importance of Uzbekistans ongoing green transition for sustainable development. The country is aiming to derive 25% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and ADB is contributing to this goal through solar, wind, and hydro energy projects. Uzbekistans pursuit of a greener economy could bring more trade with international partners and attract foreign direct investment. Mr. Asakawa also emphasized the opportunities created by regional cooperation and integration as the countries of Central Asia recover from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. As a member of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program, double-landlocked Uzbekistan benefits from trade and transport connectivity, and regional energy trading. ADB has supported CAREC initiatives since 2002 and is currently helping to rehabilitate 240 kilometers of highway between Kungrad in northwest Uzbekistan and Daut-Ata in Kazakhstan. The bank is also working to improve regional energy trading and develop new cooperation among national power systems. This week, Mr. Asakawa also met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Djamshid Kuchkarov and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov. He was joined on the visit by ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov and Director General for Private Sector Operations Suzanne Gaboury. Yesterday, Mr. Asakawa participated in the opening plenary session of the Tashkent International Investment Forum, a high-level conference organized by the government to showcase the countrys investment potential to the international investment and business communities. Ms. Gaboury held a consultation with ADB private sector clients to hear perspectives on challenges and opportunities for private sector investment in Uzbekistan. Today, Mr. Asakawa delivered opening remarks at the Country Platform for Development Partner Coordination meeting, chaired by Uzbekistan Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and attended by high-level representatives of other development partners. While in Uzbekistan Mr. Asakawa will visit three ADB-supported projects: The Affordable Rural Housing Project which is helping to build up to 29,000 affordable housing units across the country. The Advanced Electricity Metering Project which helped to boost energy efficiency by installing smart meters in Samarkand, Bukhara, and Djizzak regions, and connecting all meters to a national grid. The Horticulture Value Chain Project which is providing access to long-term financing for farmers and businesses throughout the country. Uzbekistan joined ADB in 1995 and the bank has since committed loans, grants, and technical assistance of more than USD10 billion to the country./. By Gu Siyu, Wang Ruoxin and Wang Xinyuan Editor's note: Abuse. Forced labor. Sexual assault. Unwarranted detention. Sub-standard conditions US private prisons that have long faced charges of various kinds over the years still pose as a standing problem. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the already bursting private prison system in the US is becoming more problematic. The US tops the list of countries with the highest prison population rate for the most years entering the 21st century. While the country makes up less than 5% of the total world population, it holds one fifth of the world's prison population. According to the 13th edition of The World Prison Population List released by the World Prison Brief (WPB), an evidence-backed database hosted by the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR), by October 2021, the US had remained the world's No. 1 country that held the most prisoners, featuring a stunning number of 2 million. The states find their way, by means fair or foul, to house such a large number of prisoners. Data compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) finds that in 2019, 30 states and the federal government in the US incarcerated people in for-profit private facilities run by corporations including GEO Group, CoreCivic (formerly Corrections Corporation of America), LaSalle Corrections, and Management and Training Corporation. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) appears to be the largest contributor to private prison contractors in the US, and private prisons, to what it is worth, makes up for the BOPs capacity. "Private prisons in the United States incarcerated 115,428 people in 2019, representing 8% of the total state and federal prison population," The Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy center working for decarceration or to reduce the use of incarceration in the US, reported. The trend in privatization keeps snowballing as the mode makes its gain. The Sentencing Project noted, "Since 2000, the number of people housed in private prisons has increased 32% compared to an overall rise in the prison population of 3%." Now the US at least hosts hundreds of private prisons, and that is the number of the traceable ones. For-profit prisons' pace of expansion is alarming enough, but still not as much as its pace of depravity. Issues like inadequate standards, grave human rights violation, corruption, unwarranted detention of immigrants, etc. have been raised repeatedly over the years against the US government and its contractors. The notorious example of private prisons in the US, namely the Guantanamo Bay prison, raised the attention of the UN Human Rights Council. On Jan. 10, 2022, an independent panel of experts on human rights issued a statement, demonstrating the prison's two decades of practicing arbitrary detention without trial accompanied by torture or ill treatment. However, despite forceful, repeated and unequivocal condemnation of the private prison complex, the US continues to detain people many of whom have never been charged with any crime. Is the world getting to know now, what's going on in America's private prisons? Overcrowded and under-staffed NewsNation reported in 2021 that the US federal prison system is running at 103% capacity. "Thousands of federal correctional offer jobs in the United States are vacant, which has forced prisons to use cooks, teachers, nurses and other workers to guard inmates," it said. The US Department of Justice budgeted for 20,446 full-time correctional officer positions in 2020, but only about 13,762 officers were employed to run the federal prisons last year, while the BOP insisting it's unlikely that its facilities have a full complement of officers who focus solely on maintaining order. The conditions of private prisons are only assumed to be worse. "While detention facilities run by the US Bureau of Prisons are far from pristine, what little we know about privately run detention facilities is that they are even worse," US Congressman Jamie Raskin commented. "Despite the fact these private, for-profit detention facilities receive federal funding, they are not subject to even the most basic transparency requirements." Privatization within the US prison system has led to systemic irresponsibility and setbacks for criminal justice. Private prisons that are paid by the US government have been criticized for the way they cut costs to protect their profits, which leads to higher employee turnover, reduced security, and inadequate healthcare. In 2017, the Department of Justice released a statement supporting an end to federal private prisons, citing unsafe conditions within private prisons and lack of adequate security. Federal private prisons were believed to be soon transferred to government regulation at that time, but now in 2022, the US government is still struggling to make it happen. Trembling amid COVID-19 Incarcerated people are five times more likely than others to be infected, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. As the COVID-19 pandemic keeps adding woes to the already appalling conditions of American prisons, priority of COVID-19 vaccination should be arranged given the extremely high case and death rates in prisons, but it was not. According to the COVID Prison Project, there have been 779,184 cases of novel coronavirus reported among prisoners and staff as of Mar. 16, 2022, among which 582,171 COVID-19 cases are of people incarcerated in prisons, and 197,013 cases are of staff working in prisons. The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization focusing on the US criminal justice system, claimed that one in five prisoners in the US has had COVID-19. Jails and prisons caused a majority of the largest, single-site outbreaks since the beginning of the pandemic, but numbers have told that not enough measures have been taken to contain the virus. The Prison Policy Initiative found that only 10 states put incarcerated people in phase 1 of vaccine distribution, and eight states didn't list them in any vaccine phase at all. Though some prison systems in the US began publishing COVID-19 data under public demand, which helped to lift a tiny corner of the veil of secrecy, most private prisons provided very little data about the accessibility of vaccination and booster shots for those behind bars. As the Omicron variant threatens the states, the situation there can be worrying. "Asylum" of false hope "Today, privately run prisons have become the government's default detention centers for undocumented migrants," commented an article titled "For Private Prisons, Detaining Immigrants Is Big Business" published in The New York Times in 2018. Privately detained immigrant population grew 739% from 2002 to January 2019. Corporations behind are making good money. GEO Group and CCA/CoreCivic, two companies that operate a majority of private prisons in the US, received more than $1 billion for immigration detention related service obligations in FY 2020. In both 2019 and 2020, about 28 percent of GEO's and CoreCivic's revenues came from ICE detention contracts, at a total of $1.28 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively. Meantime, immigrants are suffering in corners where nobody cares. For those undocumented immigrants or refugees misinterpreted as "drug dealers", "rapists" and "killers" in the famous slander against Latin American immigrants, they have, in fact, been made victims twice, not only in their own countries, but also in the US. Many of them went to America to seek asylum, only ended up behind bars for fabricated causes, some even without any reason. People housed at immigrant detention centers were offered bad food, shabby health care and have little chance of being provided with proper educational programs or job training, since they are mostly destined for deportation. Complaints about private prisons are not rare. In an interview with The New York Times, Cortez Diaz, after being freed by a detention center, said that the conditions in the detention center are bad, right down to the food. "They don't care if someone is sick, if the food goes bad." "Abuse is rampant," Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, an immigration attorney in Austin told The Progressive Magazine, "The food is terrible, if it comes at all. The lights are on 24/7. People are discouraged from claiming asylum. They're told if they claim asylum, they'll just be detained for weeks and weeks." However, the fact is that over the last three decades, the US federal government has not limited private prison contracts with immigration detention at all. According to statistics, privately run facilities housed 81% of the immigrant detention population in 2020 under the Trump administration, and even last year, it housed 79% under the Biden administration. Prison labor and modern slavery Private prisons have for years flourished by exploiting the detainees' labor. Penal labor in the US is explicitly allowed by the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." Many believe that the 13th Amendment has kept slavery alive in modern days, and immigration detainees are at particular risk. Freedom United, the world's largest community dedicated to ending modern slavery, is currently campaigning against CoreCivic, which has been the target of several lawsuits for subjecting detainees who have not been charged with any crimes to forced labor, sometimes even with the threat of solitary confinement. Real situation of the detainees at private prisons gets revealed as more and more people speak out to the media. Wilhen Barrientos, an immigrant from Guatemala, told of his experience of being forced to work for CoreCivic during his incarceration. He worked in the facility's kitchen, making between $1 and $4 per day as part of the ironically named "Voluntary Work Program." Barrientos explained that in prison, he faced an "impossible choice": he could either work for pennies, or attempt to live without necessities such as soap and toilet paper, which were not provided to detainees and had to be purchased. Fueling violence and breeding crimes "The use of excessive force against prisoners, from punches to chemical spraying, is an everyday occurrence that violates our constitution", Time observed in a recent report, where three US attorneys exposed pervasive use of excessive force against those incarcerated in privately operated prisons. Private prisons routinely experience more inmate escapes and higher rates of violence due to chronically lax security and poorly trained, minimally paid staff. According to the US Department of Justice, an estimated 49% more violent incidents and guard assaults are reported in private prisons than in public ones, and inmate-on-inmate assaults occur 65% more in private facilities. The increased rate of violence has only provided a glimpse into the cloistered world of privately operated prisons. Over the past three decades, allegations of inmate death, riots, rapes, assaults and medical neglect against private prisons have revealed that model remains a recipe for disaster. A 2019 US Federal Probation Study showed that the private sector reported an average of 40 assaults on inmates compared with 19 in public sectors, the number of inmate population participated in drug treatment programs in private prisons was also found twice the number in the public sector. Meanwhile, inmates of private prisons are about twice as likely to report sexual victimization by staff. While the correctional system is originally designed to keep society safe at large and deter crimes, private prisons are instead breeding all kinds of crimes inside the industry. Over 30 years in business, they have been reduced to a hazard for local communities with higher levels of violence. Editor: Zhang Zhou By Wang Ruoxin, Wang Xinyuan and Gu Siyu Harsher sentencing policies, increasing demand for jail space and limited budget fueled a perceived failure of the penal system in the US during the 1980s. The burden on the public sector has resulted in the modern emergence of for-profit private prisons in many states across the country and at the federal level as well. Private prisons arose first as a solution to expanding prison capacity, their purpose also differs from the traditional ones. While a public prison's end goal is to house incarcerated individuals in an attempt to rehabilitate them, a private prison's end goal, on the other hand, is to profit by all means. And that has altered the nature of the criminal justice system, making people question whether these for-profit prisons can be trusted to shoulder the responsibility they're given. Nevertheless, private prisons in the US have been notorious for violence and atrocious conditions. Yet for years, the number of inmates in private correctional facilities keeps outpacing federal prisons at an alarming rate. According to The Sentencing Project, the number of people housed in private prisons increased five times faster than the total prison population from 2000 to 2016. Over a similar timeframe, the proportion of people detained in private immigration facilities increased by 442%. What makes private prison an evil business Private prisons make millions of dollars a year by making contracts with the government, in which they state the payment based on the size of the prison, a monthly or yearly set amount, or in most cases, the number of inmates that the prison houses, where a large prison population is always favored. Since the business is for-profit, cutting costs is a primary approach. In other words, quality of inmates' living quarters and salary levels of staff members can be sacrificed for what its worth, putting safety and security within prisons at risk. Besides, to ensure a steady stream of new inmates, private prison corporations attach the most importance to the size and status of the country's criminal justice system, where law-making and judicatory are carefully structured in favor of prison privatization. "Our growth is generally dependent upon our ability to obtain new contracts to develop and manage new correctional and detention facilities," industry giant CoreCivic admitted in its 2010 Annual Report. "This possible growth depends on a number of factors we cannot control, including crime rates and sentencing patterns in various jurisdictions and acceptance of privatization." As they operate according to business models, privatized prisons have led to more inmates and longer sentences, studies have found. Undocumented immigrants, who're less protected by law, are thrown behind bars, some even based on charges of inadequate evidence, where they become forced labor and cash machine to keep the business going. How its sphere of influence is formed A tie is therefore revealed between private prison corporations and their expanding reach. The logic is quite simple. More money can be brought by more inmates, and more inmates can be brought by stricter laws. Private prison corporations at times joined lawmakers, business partners, and interest groups to advocate for privatization through organizations funded by themselves like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), where they seek influence over public policy through campaign contributions to key legislators in the immigration reform debate and affect the drafting of legislations that impact sentencing policy and prison privatization. Judicial corruption is detected where judges may be influenced to give out harsher sentences. The most prominent corruption scandal is the "kids for cash" case in Pennsylvania. Two judges were bribed by Mid-Atlantic Youth Services Corp, a private prison company, with $2.8 million to send 2,000 children to their prisons under harsher sentences. Bribery scheme of bureaucratic institutions was also uncovered. According to Fusion's "Shadow prisons" report, three of the last four directors of the federal Bureau of Prisons joined the boards of large private prison corporations after leaving office. Why private prison system in US can hardly be ended On Jan. 25, 2021, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order to stop the US Department of Justice from renewing further contracts with private prisons. However, it could be too small a step for too long a journey. Back in 2016, the Department of Justice announced that it would phase out private prisons. In reaction, Damon Hininger, CEO of Corrections Corporation of America, declared that the company would change its name to CoreCivic, seeking to represent the firm's changing status as a provider of "largely corrections and detention services" to a company that works on "a wider range of government solutions." The company got its way. A year later, the Department of Justice decided to maintain contracts with for-profit prisons. Years of lobbying and relationship-building have won the private prison corporations a place in the US money politics. It is widely known that these companies contributed tens of thousands of dollars amid the 2016 US presidential election campaign to the Republicans (millions were dumped amid the 2020 election campaign). As the Republican assumed the office, policies were made against illegal immigration and in favor of strict enforcement of immigration laws, all in favor of the private prisons. Private prison corporations are seeking to expand their influence with state governments as well. The non-profit organization Abolish Private Prisons pointed out that Biden's action can only affect less than 10% of people held in private for-profit prisons who are federal prisoners. Those state or local prisoners, which constitute a huge majority, are not touched. What it doesn't address is what is to be done regarding the over 70% of people who are held in immigration detention by private prison facilities. It seems that the private prisons will not likely go out of business any time soon. Editor: Zhang Zhou Nepali Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 26, 2022. Wang Yi said here on Saturday that China will stick to its friendly policy toward Nepal and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with the South Asian country. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) KATHMANDU, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba agreed here on Saturday at their meeting that both sides will make good use of the Nepal-China Joint Consultation Mechanism to complete existing key cooperation projects and explore new areas of cooperation. Noting that China-Nepal cooperation enjoys vast potential, both sides agreed that deepening practical cooperation not only meets the needs of both countries, but will also inject strong impetus to regional development and prosperity. Deuba congratulated China on the success of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, and thanked China for providing strong support for Nepal's economic and social development over the years. Deuba stressed that Nepal will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy and will never allow any forces to use the Nepali territory to engage in any anti-China activities. Wang said China appreciated that and is ready to continue standing firmly with Nepal on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. China will work with Nepal to safeguard the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and the basic norms governing international relations, resist unilateralism and oppose power politics, and contribute to regional peace and stability, Wang said. Wang said China and Nepal have always supported, trusted and helped each other. The traditional friendship between the two countries has been enhanced through their joint fight against the earthquake and COVID-19, and their win-win cooperation has witnessed continuous and effective progress. China-Nepal relations have become an example of equal treatment and win-win cooperation between countries large and small, and a demonstration of China's practice of the good-neighborly diplomacy, Wang said. China will continue to firmly support Nepal in safeguarding national sovereignty and dignity, exploring a development path suited to its national conditions and pursuing independent domestic and foreign policies, Wang said. Guided by the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, China stands ready to expand all-round cooperation with Nepal and push forward their strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity, he said. The two sides also exchanged views on strengthening multilateral cooperation. Deuba said the Nepali side believes that fairness and justice should be upheld in international affairs, and the United Nations Charter and international law should be abided by. After the meeting, both sides attended the completion ceremony of Pokhara International Airport via video link. Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 26, 2022. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua) Editor: ZAD Zhongguan Primary School in Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province held an activity to celebrate the "World Theater Day" on March 26, 2022. The photo shows a Chinese opera teacher instructing pupils to practice Chinese opera. (Photo by Wang Zheng/Guangming) Zhongguan Primary School in Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province held an activity to celebrate the "World Theater Day" on March 26, 2022. A pupil studying Chinese opera practices facial expressions in front of a mirror. (Photo by Wang Zheng/Guangming) Zhongguan Primary School in Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province held an activity to celebrate the "World Theater Day" on March 26, 2022. The picture shows an opera teacher instructing pupils. (Photo by Wang Zheng/Guangming) Editor: ZAD Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on March 27, 2022. Abbas on Sunday told visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories must end through a political solution. (Palestinian President Office/Handout via Xinhua) RAMALLAH, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday told visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories must end through a political solution. During a meeting with Blinken in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Abbas stressed the need to resolve all permanent status issues, including the refugee issue, and the release of all prisoners, under the auspices of the International Quartet and under international resolutions, Palestine's official news agency WAFA reported. Abbas called on the U.S. to implement its commitment to the two-state solution by stopping Israeli settlement and settlers' assaults, preserving the historical situation in al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, and prohibiting Israel's unilateral actions. Abbas also demanded that the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem be reopened, and that U.S. laws designating the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as a "terrorist organization that encourages incitement" be repealed. Abbas told Blinken that current events in Europe showed "blatant double standards, despite the crimes of the Israeli occupation," according to the report. "The continuation of the unilateral Israeli measures will soon lead to the implementation of the Palestinian Central Council decisions that called for the termination of commitments to all agreements signed with Israel," Abbas was quoted as saying. For his part, Blinken reiterated the U.S. commitment to the two-state solution principle and pledged to prevent any party from taking any action to raise the level of tension. Earlier on the day, Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in Israel. Blinken is scheduled to attend a conference in southern Israel with his counterparts from Bahrain, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. Editor: WPY Photo taken on March 27, 2022 shows the second black box recovered at the crash site of the China Eastern Airlines' plane in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The second black box of the plane that crashed Monday in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was recovered Sunday, according to the national emergency response headquarters for the accident. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) NANNING, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The second black box of the China Eastern Airlines' plane that crashed Monday in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was recovered Sunday, according to the national emergency response headquarters for the accident. The Boeing 737 aircraft, which departed from Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, and was bound for Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, crashed into a mountainous area in Tengxian County, Guangxi, at around 2:38 p.m. Monday. All 132 people on board the plane were dead, according to the headquarters. The second black box has been confirmed by investigators as the flight-data recorder and sent to a lab for decoding, Zhu Tao, head of the aviation safety office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, told a press briefing on Sunday afternoon. The exterior of its data-storage unit is relatively complete despite the fact that other parts of the device have been severely damaged, added Zhu. The second black box was recovered 40 meters from the impact point of the crash and 1.5 meters beneath the ground at about 9:20 a.m., said Zheng Xi, head of the Guangxi region's fire brigade. The plane's first black box -- the cockpit voice recorder -- was recovered on Wednesday. The data downloading and analysis work of the first black box is underway. Photo taken on March 27, 2022 shows the second black box recovered at the crash site of the China Eastern Airlines' plane in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The second black box of the plane that crashed Monday in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was recovered Sunday, according to the national emergency response headquarters for the accident. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) Photo taken on March 27, 2022 shows the second black box recovered at the crash site of the China Eastern Airlines' plane in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The second black box of the plane that crashed Monday in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was recovered Sunday, according to the national emergency response headquarters for the accident. (Xinhua/Zhou Hua) Editor: WXY The Ministry of Finance is negotiating with international partners on support in the form of loans and grants in the amount of up to EUR 6 billion, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko has said. "Now, this is an absolute priority for both the president, the government and the Ministry of Finance. Today, we are negotiating support for a total amount of up to EUR 6 billion. This is both loan support and grant support," he said in an interview with Lb.ua. He recalled that the $1.4 billion allocated by the IMF as Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) is already in the accounts of the State Treasury. "We also have a program of macro-financial assistance from the European Union for EUR 1.2 billion. And we already received EUR 600 million in two tranches of EUR 300 million each. We are conducting further consultations with the European Commission on the following programs and tranches. We received assistance from the World Bank under the Economic Recovery Development Policy Loan (DPL) for EUR 312 million," the minister recalled. According to him, the World Bank is creating a multi-donor trust fund (MDTF) for Ukraine. Sweden, the Netherlands and Austria have already joined it. Thus, Sweden is ready to provide guarantees for $50 million, the Netherlands for $89 million, Austria for $10 million. In addition, Ukraine is negotiating with the Japanese government on loan support for at least $100 million. "There is an opportunity to increase and we are actively working on it," Marchenko said. The minister added that the European Investment Bank (EIB) adjusted its projects in support of the budget in the amount of EUR 668 million, of which Ukraine has already received EUR 400 million. "We are negotiating on two loan programs with Germany, for a total of $150 million. We signed the memorandum first and we are waiting for the funds to arrive," Marchenko said. The minister added that negotiations with the French government on a loan of EUR 300 million are ongoing, Canada announced a loan program in the amount of CAD 500 million, and the UK $500 million. "Among the grants, it is especially necessary to single out the government of Italy, which in the first days of the war provided us with grant assistance in the amount of EUR 10 million. We also expect grant assistance from the UK, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Iceland and the EU. The total amount of grants that we see is about EUR 360 million. We are actively cooperating with the United States. Even before the war, the possibility of providing guarantees for $1 billion was announced. And we are now working on obtaining them and, if possible, increasing them," the minister said. Ukrenergo resumes daily auctions for the purchase of interstate sections for the export of electricity to Poland, the company said. "Daily auctions for the distribution of interstate cross-sections for the export of electricity to Poland are being resumed," Ukrenergo said in a Facebook post on Monday. According to it, the first auction will take place today, March 28, with delivery on March 30. The volume of the section put up for auction is 210 MW per hour. "This is the first auction after the unification of the energy system of Ukraine with the energy grid of continental Europe ENTSO-E. The start of electricity exports will allow Ukraine to receive additional resources for the renewal and development of energy infrastructure in the conditions of war," the company said, adding that the resumption of export-import operations is one of its main tasks in the framework of further integration. Ukrenergo specified that the total transmission capacity between Ukraine and ENTSO-E is up to 2,000 MW and will have a direct economic effect for the country of several billion dollars a year. By Vafa Ismayilova Azerbaijani servicemen have hoisted the flag of Azerbaijan in Khojaly region's Farrukh village cleared of the illegal Armenian armed formations on March 27, local news sources have reported. The relevant video footage and a photo of Pirlar village, made from the Azerbaijani army positions in Farrukh, have also been circulated. Baku earlier dismissed as inaccurate the Russian Defence Ministry statement on the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Farrukh village. In a statement published on March 27, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said: "The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry regretfully informs that some points of the statement of the Russian Defence Ministry dated March 27, 2022, do not reflect the reality. There have been no changes in the positions of the Azerbaijan army in Farrukh village and on the surrounding high grounds, which are part of the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan. The information about the retreat of the Azerbaijan army units from these positions does not reflect the reality. The Azerbaijan army completely controls the operational situation." The ministry also rejected the Russian ministry's claims alleging the Azerbaijani truce violation and the case of injury among the Azerbaijani servicemen. It once again recalled the Russian Defence Ministry that there is no administrative-territorial unit called "Nagorno-Karabakh" on the Azerbaijani territory. "The use of the expression 'Nagorno-Karabakh' in the statements of the Russian Defence Ministry dated March 26 and 27 is disrespectful to the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is recognized and accepted by the international community, including the Russian Federation," the statement added. It should be noted Farrukh enters the administrative area of Pirlar village in Khojaly region located 16 km of Asgaran settlement and 32 km of Khankandi. The Azerbaijani armed forces regained full control over the village, clearing it from illegal Armenian armed groups, who had to leave Azerbaijan's internationally-recognized territories in Karabakh under the ceasefire deal signed by Baku, Moscow and Yerevan on November 10, 2020. Energy industry losses from Russia's military aggression already amount to $2 billion, Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko said. "We do this (calculation of losses) every day, there is an appropriate mechanism. Losses are estimated at $ 2 billion," he said in an interview with the Ekonomichna Pravda edition. The minister explained that in this case, not only the value of the damaged or lost asset is taken into account, but also the amount of electricity that could be produced under normal conditions, and, accordingly, the funds that the producer could earn from its sale. Haluschenko specified that, in particular, control over DTEK's Luhansk TPP was lost, while at the same time, as a result of two shells hit, Okhtyrka TPP was actually completely destroyed. In addition, Trypilska TPP of PJSC Centrenergo and Chernihiv TPP were fired upon. At the same time, Zaporizhia NPP has been occupied by the invaders of the Russian Federation since March 4, and only two of the six units are operating. Azerbaijan ready to provide Ukraine with fuel for sowing campaign Zelensky Azerbaijan is ready to provide Ukraine with fuel for the sowing season, for which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. "Held talks with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Informed about new strikes at the civilian population. The urgent necessity for green corridors was discussed. Thanked for the humanitarian aid and readiness to provide fuel for sowing," Zelensky said on Twitter. Draft US budget 2023 provides $6.9 bln in aid to Ukraine, NATO, Europe TV The draft U.S. budget for fiscal year 2023 includes the allocation of $6.9 billion to help Ukraine, NATO and European security, CNBC has said. The channel said this is only part of the planned total defense spending of $813 billion. According to CNBC, compared to last year, defense spending will increase by $31 billion. In addition, $10.6 billion is planned for global healthcare, including for COVID-19 and future pandemics. More than $32 billion should go to the fight against crime in the United States. CNBC said the project has been sent to the U.S. Congress for consideration. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny has denied the information disseminated by the occupiers about the allegedly inhumane attitude of the Ukrainian military towards Russian prisoners. "To discredit the defense forces of Ukraine, the enemy is filming and distributing staged videos with the inhumane attitude of the supposedly "Ukrainian military" towards "Russian captives." I note that the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other lawful military formations strictly observe the norms of international humanitarian law," Zaluzhny wrote on his Facebook page. He urged citizens to take into account the realities of the information-psychological war and trust only official sources. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that a popular referendum would make it possible to amend the Constitution on the neutral status of Ukraine in a few months, which is faster than the parliamentary procedure for constitutional amendments. "Changes of this or that status, and security guarantees imply a neutral status this is a constitutional change. These are two sessions [of the Parliament], two sessions is a year. Can you imagine how long all this can be? A referendum is a step faster. Because only the people can decide that there will be such a status and such guarantees. The referendum will take place within a few months, and amendments to the Constitution [through the parliament] will take place for at least a year, in accordance with current legislation," Zelensky said in an interview with Russian journalists published on the website of the President's Office. The head of state stressed that Ukraine is ready to amend the Constitution in terms of neutral status. "Security guarantees and neutrality, a non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to go for it. This was the first point of principle for the Russian Federation. And as far as I remember, they started a war because of this ... The point of security guarantees for Ukraine is being discussed. It is deeply worked out," he said. "But I am interested that this is not another piece of paper a la the Budapest Memorandum. Therefore, we are interested in this paper turning into a serious agreement that will be signed by all guarantors of this security. It must be ratified by the parliaments of the guarantor countries and there must be a referendum in Ukraine," he added. Also, according to Zelensky, an agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine cannot be signed while Russian troops are in Ukraine. "Representatives of the guarantor countries will not sign anything if we have troops. I believe that the war can be quickly ended and only Putin and his entourage are pulling. None of the guarantors Johnson, Biden, who will sit down? Duda? Erdogan? Who will sit down to talk about something if there are troops? Who will sign something? There will be nothing. It's impossible. Therefore, there is no need to wait for amendments in the law. When the Russian side said let's first amend the law, then withdraw the tanks well, we look at them as people who have a shallow understanding of political processes from the point of view of the law," the president said. "Therefore, we must have agreements with President Putin. To reach an agreement, he needs to withdraw troops from Ukraine and come to meet me. Any point in the world except, I think, a pointless meeting in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine. Therefore we met, agreed this is enough, with signatures, seals, to begin the process of withdrawing troops. The troops must be withdrawn, the guarantors will sign everything. Then ratification in the parliaments, a referendum a few months, and after the amendment to the Constitution," Zelensky said. The head of state also separately stressed that the issues of denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine were not discussed at the meetings of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations. "We don't discuss denazification and demilitarization with the Russian Federation at all. For me, these are generally incomprehensible things ... Our side said that there can be no denazification and demilitarization. We are not interested in these points at all," the president summed up. Number of countries applying to ICC regarding Russian crimes in Ukraine up to 42 If the International Criminal Court (ICC) recognizes the war crimes of Russian troops, those involved in them can be detained in any country that recognizes the jurisdiction of this court, Ukrainian Justice Minister Denys Maliuska has said. "All perpetrators of crimes against humanity and genocide are potentially persons who are already under investigation, as 42 countries have already filed applications and supported such an investigation by the ICC. Those found guilty by the court will receive punishment in the form of, for example, long-term imprisonment," Maliuska explained, the press service of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine reports on Facebook. He stressed that in the event of an ICC verdict, the diplomatic passports of Russian political and military leaders, most likely, will not help them they will be detained, transferred to The Hague and imprisoned. "That is, this is such a serious risk, which the Russians are obviously very afraid of," the minister is sure. As reported, on March 3, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, said that after the appeal of 39 member states of the court, the ICC was launching a full-scale investigation of crimes related to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. Later, the number of countries applying to the court increased to 41. In addition, on March 7, the International Court of Justice began public hearings on "Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide [Ukraine v. Russia]." The competence of the UN Court concerns the prosecution of states, and the ICC holds specific persons accountable, explained Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova. Russian troops will shift their main efforts to shelling Ukrainian civilian infrastructure far from the front line due to the lack of success in the ground operation, Vadym Denysenko, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, believes. "They understand that they are almost unable to do anything on land, in fact, in principle, now more than a third of the battalion tactical groups that entered the territory of Ukraine have been withdrawn from combat formation. And therefore they are switching to a strategy of shelling civilian infrastructure in the rear, far from the line front, and will continue to try to do such things," Denysenko explained on the air of the telethon on Monday. He clarified that this strategy remains the only one that the Russian troops can implement in the current situation. "Unfortunately, this is their strategy and this is the only thing they can do now. That is, from their point of view, it's obvious, yes, raising the degree, they show that they will destroy infrastructure, because the number of missiles they still have is quite large. But in principle, they also understand that we continue to fight and we will fight," Denysenko stressed. Russian multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) with cluster bombs were used to attack the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade, but most of the shells hit the area where peaceful settlements are located far beyond the line of fire, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have said. "Cluster munitions (air bombs, rockets, artillery or rockets) are special means of destruction containing the same type of combat elements inside, including delayed-action mines scattered in the air over a large territory," Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Telegram on Monday. The ministry explained that one of the features of cluster munitions is that they can be in the ground for a long time and pose a danger long after the cessation of hostilities. It is from cluster munitions that a significant number of civilians, especially children, die after the end of wars. "Fighters of the engineer-sapper battalion of the brigade have already begun to clear the area hit by Russian artillery cluster munitions," the Defense Ministry said. The Russian occupiers are focusing on holding the lines they occupied in Ukraine, trying to regroup to build up offensive capabilities, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports on Monday. "The main efforts of the enemy are focused on maintaining occupied lines and preparing for the resumption of offensive operations. There is a regrouping in order to build up offensive capabilities to carry out tasks to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the message posted on Facebook reads. It says, that the occupiers continue to carry out missile and bomb strikes on military and civilian infrastructure. "We are also preparing and moving additional units of the armed forces of the Russian Federation to conduct combat operations on the territory of Ukraine," the General Staff said. They note that, according to available information, it is planned to send military equipment and 150 military personnel from the 155th Separate Marine Brigade of Russian Pacific Fleet to Ukraine (the permanent deployment point is the city of Vladivostok). "A subdivision of the 14th Separate Special Forces Brigade of the Eastern Military District (a permanent deployment point in the city of Khabarovsk) has been formed, the deadline for readiness for a business trip is May of this year," the General Staff emphasized. The Armed Forces of Ukraine add that in Volyn direction, there are up to four batallion-tactical groups from the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus involved in strengthening and protecting the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. "It is impossible to completely exclude the involvement of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus in the conduct of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine," the General Staff said. Russian invaders are carrying out filtration measures on the territory of Kherson region temporarily occupied by them, the press service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports on Monday. "Divisions of the Russian National Guard in the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson region continue to carry out filtration measures to identify military personnel of the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, participants in the anti-terrorist operation, public activists, as well as to seize weapons and ammunition," the report says. By Azernews By Vafa Ismayilova Azerbaijani Consul-General in Los Angeles Nasimi Aghayev has urged an end to Armenia's and foreign-based lobby's "hate-driven agenda" regarding Karabakh. He made the remarks on his official Twitter page. "Armenia and its radical lobby must stop holding 25,000 ethnic Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan in Qarabagh [Karabakh] as hostages to their extremist, hate-driven agenda. Once illegal armed groups are withdrawn [from Azerbaijani territories] our [ethnic] Armenian citizens will enjoy equal rights like other Azerbaijani citizens," he tweeted. Aghayev also shared an official map of Armenia submitted by Yerevan to the UN and questioned the presence of illegal Armenian armed groups on the Azerbaijani territories, namely in Farrukh village, which was regained by the Azerbaijani armed forces. "Here is the official map of Armenia submitted by Yerevan to the UN, and the location of the village of Farrukh (site of the latest tension). The question is: What are the Armenian armed groups doing in the internationally recognized sovereign territory of Azerbaijan?" wrote the consul-general. The diplomat stressed that the reason for the current tension is the failure to completely withdraw illegal Armenian forces from Azerbaijan. "Almost all media reports and statements from foreign officials conveniently omit to mention an important (and not fully implemented) obligation, enshrined in the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian joint statement of 2020. Complete withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azerbaijan. It is the reason for the current tension," he tweeted. Azerbaijani servicemen have hoisted the flag of Azerbaijan in Khojaly region's Farrukh village cleared of the illegal Armenian armed formations on March 27. Baku earlier dismissed as inaccurate the Russian Defence Ministry statement on the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Farrukh village. Farrukh enters the administrative area of Pirlar village in Khojaly region located 16 km of Asgaran settlement and 32 km of Khankandi. The Azerbaijani armed forces regained full control over the village, clearing it from illegal Armenian armed groups, who had to leave Azerbaijan's internationally-recognized territories in Karabakh under the ceasefire deal signed by Baku, Moscow and Yerevan on November 10, 2020. On March 20, 2022, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in Sugovushan that the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region functioned in Azerbaijan for many years during the Soviet era for purely political purposes. "As you know, the Armenians pursued a policy of aggression against our people, and our native Karabakh and a part of East Zangazur were in the hands of Armenians for about 30 years. It had to end and it did. We saw that no negotiations or political steps were bringing us any closer to our goal. We saw and knew that we must be stronger and more determined to protect our rights and restore historical justice. The Azerbaijani state, the Azerbaijani Army, all our Armed Forces fulfilled this historic mission in 2020," he said. He stressed that Azerbaijanis will live on liberated territories comfortably, in peace, tranquility and security and that the guarantor of peace and security is the Azerbaijani state and the Azerbaijani armed forces. Some ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation can launch a missile attack on targets on the territory of Ukraine, the press service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. "The ship structure of the Russian Black Sea Fleet performs tasks in certain areas of the Black Sea and Azov operational zones. Some ships went into a closed area, probably with the aim of launching missile strikes on targets on the territory of Ukraine," the message posted on Facebook on Monday reads. The imposition of an embargo on oil and gas exports from Russia by Western countries should not be tied to its use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with British magazine The Economist. "Impose an embargo on Russian oil and gas exports... They have been threatened, but not yet implemented. Now we are hearing that the decision depends on whether Russia launches a chemical attack on us. This is not the right approach. We are not guinea pigs to be experimented on," Zelensky said. At the same time, the head of state once again emphasized his belief that if tough sanctions against Russia had been introduced preventively, then a full-scale Russian invasion would not have occurred or, at least, would have given the Ukrainian military more time to prepare to repel a Russian attack. "Our Western partners have not completed the sanctions on disconnecting the banking system from SWIFT, many more banks have not been disconnected. They have taken very important steps to support us, but the central bank of Russia has not been disconnected. All these sanctions are incomplete," Zelensky said. Against this background, the president called on Ukraine's partners to stop taking a defensive position in dialogue with Russia and be afraid of it, but to act offensively. "Our partners view Russia now through a military-strategic lens and are using Ukraine as a shield. We are the ones who are feeling the pain. It is good that they are on the side of Ukraine, but they have to stop being defensive in their dialogue with Russia. We insist they can act offensively... Ukrainian people are dying," he said. "The Russians have blocked our supplies to Mariupol, Melitopol, Berdyansk, Kherson, Kharkiv... They are kidnapping the mayors of our cities. They killed some of them. Some of them we can't find. Some of them we have found already, and they are dead. And some of them were replaced. They are doing the same thing that they did in Donbas in 2014. The same people are carrying out these operations. It's the same methodology," he said. "The West can't say, 'We'll help you in the weeks [to come].' It doesn't allow us to unblock Russia-occupied cities, to bring food to residents there, to take the military initiative into our own hands," Zelensky said. "People are simply not able to get out. There is no food, medicine or drinking water there. And this is something we must do. These are issues which need to be addressed today and tomorrow, not in a couple of weeks," he said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine would under no circumstances make compromises with the Russian Federation, which could lead to the collapse of its statehood. "It's possible that some compromises, ones which don't risk our physical survival, will be made to save the lives of thousands of people. As for compromises that may risk the disintegration of the country, the ones which Putin proposes, or rather demands in the form of an ultimatum, we will never make them. Never," Zelensky said in an interview with British magazine The Economist. He noted that in a dialogue with the Russian president, solutions to the current problem will have to be sought. "There are a lot of things. We have to speak. It's not about one question, one answer. It's about decisions. We have to speak about concrete things, about concrete months, maybe something about years, maybe something to decide now, maybe to talk if we can't find a decision and agree not to fight about it. That is my philosophy... It's not about respect, about love, or something else. It's not about feelings. It's very concrete. There is a problem and we have to figure it out in detail and solve it," the president said. At the same time, the head of state expressed his firm conviction that Ukraine is already winning. "We remain resolute about not giving into these demands. I think that we are winning. The military situation is difficult, but we are repulsing attacks," he said. At the same time, answering the question whether, in principle, a lasting peace is possible after the end of the war with Putin, Zelensky noted that he was not sure whether the Russian president himself knew the answer to this question. "I don't know if Putin even knows the answer to this question. I think many factors will weigh on his decision. Stability in regions where Russia is present will play a role and influence his decisions. The issue of how relations between Russia and Ukraine will change as a result of what has happened is a big one. I don't have an answer to this. This is a big problem, a very big problem," he said. The Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which investigates war crimes of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, is independent in his investigation, the Ukrainian prosecutor's office provides evidence of these crimes, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said. "We know that today the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is absolutely independent. How he will build an investigation strategy, how he sees it all and who he will reach out to is exclusively his competence," Venediktova said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday, answering a question about the possibility of holding Russian President Vladimir Putin directly accountable for war crimes. The Prosecutor General emphasized that the function of Ukrainian prosecutors in bringing to justice those responsible for war crimes at the ICC level is the collection and transfer of evidence. "My task is to do my job here, and I will do everything I can help with fixing the crime, the possibility of interrogations," Venediktova assured. At the same time, the Prosecutor General recalled that in Ukraine there is a so-called "mother" case, which concerns the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. "We already have more than 200 suspects in this case. These are high-level war criminals: ministers, members of the Security Council, senators - those who were directly involved. Propagandists are on the same list," she said. "We will see who the ICC prosecutor will reach, but we, for our part, have done everything that depends on us today," the Prosecutor General summed up. Answering the question of whether the Ukrainian military will be held accountable if violations are found, Venediktova said "if there are any violations on our part, of course, we will investigate them and move in this direction." The Prosecutor General assured that Ukraine respects international humanitarian law and complies with the norms of the Geneva Convention. "We understand that the Russian Federation through various institutions will promote a completely different (vision)," she added. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that he considers the victory of Ukraine in the war against Russia to be the salvation of as many lives of Ukrainians as possible. "Victory is an opportunity to save as many lives as possible. Yes, to save as many lives as possible, since without it nothing would make sense. Our land is important, but in the end it is just territory. I do not know how long the war will last, but we will fight to the last city we have," Zelensky said in an interview with The Economist British magazine. At the same time, he said Ukraine will definitely win this war. "This is our home, our land, our independence. It is just a matter of time," the president said, noting that "his task is to give a signal so that people know how to act." "We are all wounded and wounded in the same way. My decision to stay was my signal to the people about how we should respond to an attack. About how the war started and how it will end. It will end with us still standing here and defending," he said. "Just look at the people in Kherson who were waving their hands in the middle of the street to stop the tanks. They decided to stand up and do it of their own free will. I could not order them not to do it or throw themselves under the tracks of the tanks. I will stay with these people until the end," the president said. Answering a question of how it is possible to win while saving the lives of people and the country, Zelensky said "this is a difficult task, but it is important not that this choice is good or bad, but that the decision is made together with the people." Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko says that about 100 cultural institutions around the world have already stopped cooperating with Russia. "About 100 cultural institutions banned Russian culture. I do not get tired of thanking the international cultural community for their unprecedented support," Tkachenko said on the Telegam channel. He said the world's largest museums, music and film festivals, leading theaters and reputable auctions "already stand with us." Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzianyk refuted Russia's statements about the alleged destruction of a huge number of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. "I can refute the Russian statement that they destroyed a huge amount of our unmanned vehicles. It is used along with other weapons, artillery and other types of weapons in all task force areas," Motuzianyk said at a briefing at the Ukrainian media center in Kyiv on Monday. A sufficiently large number of Russian units are forced to withdraw their troops outside Ukraine, to Russia or Belarus in order to restore their combat capability and replenish ammunition, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said. "A fairly large number of Russian units are forced to withdraw their troops outside Ukraine, to the territory of Russia or the territory of Belarus, in order to restore their combat effectiveness, replenish ammunition, since the Russian army can no longer conduct offensive operations with the available forces and means in certain areas, since it has not created an appropriate shock grouping," Motuzianyk said at a briefing at the Ukrainian media center in Kyiv on Monday. Events in Ukraine will be the key topic of the upcoming EU-China summit on April 1, European Commission (EC) spokesman Eric Mamer said. "We need to wait for this summit. And after that we will be able to tell you what our signal was to China ... Our principles regarding Ukraine are very clear: Ukraine is a sovereign state," Mamer said at a briefing in Brussels on Monday. He answered the question of what message the EU is preparing for the leader of the PRC. The international community "expressed, with an extremely overwhelming majority in the UN," its rejection of Russia's military actions in Ukraine, Mamer continued. According to the representative of the European Commission, the UN member states should contribute to the cessation of hostilities "in order to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine." "I believe that such a message can be addressed not only to China, but also to all countries of the world that protect the principles of the UN Charter," the representative of the EC summed up. Russia does not completely abandon attempts, if not to capture, then at least to besiege Kyiv Defense Ministry Russia does not completely abandon attempts, if not to capture, then at least to besiege the capital of Ukraine, there is no movement of the relevant units of the Russian army to the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, spokesperson of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said. "According to our information, Russia does not completely abandon attempts, if not to capture, then at least to besiege the capital of Ukraine. We are talking about the same about other cities - Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy. As soon as we see the movement of the relevant units of the Russian army in the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, we will definitely inform about this. At the moment, we do not see active actions of the enemy in the direction of movement," Motuzianyk said at a briefing at the Ukrainian media center in Kyiv on Monday. He said the Defense Ministry is following the statements of the leadership of the Russian armed forces. "We are closely monitoring the situation. At the moment, we do not observe any actions by Russia to confirm the words of the leaders of the Russian armed forces," Motuzianyk said. At the same time, he said that one of the strategic tasks of Russia is to completely capture the Donetsk and Luhansk regions within the administrative boundaries. "In addition, Russia is trying to break through the land corridor and unite these territories in order to have direct access to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea occupied by Russia. We are actively preventing this," Motuzianyk said. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Zakir Hasanov has instructed military officials to maintain a high level of combat readiness, the ministry reported on March 28. Hasanov gave the relevant orders at a service meeting held at the ministrys Central Command Post, the report added. The minister gave specific instructions to officials to maintain the high level of combat readiness of military units, constantly improve service and combat activities, as well as increase vigilance, the ministry underlined. The situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and the operational conditions in the Karabakh economic zone were analyzed at the meeting. Hasanov instructed the units to conduct intensive training and practical exercises in line with the real combat conditions to further improve the combat capability of military personnel, as well as to be always ready for the accurately and timely implementation of combat tasks. Hasanov instructed the commander and chief of staff to be ready to use the newly acquired advanced weaponry and other military equipment at any time needed. The minister gave relevant instructions to military officials to pay special attention to the logistics and engineering support of units serving in high mountainous and harsh climates, as well as to strengthen the health and moral and psychological readiness of personnel. Hasanov conveyed President Ilham Aliyevs directives, noting that the supreme commander-in-chief highly appreciates the Azerbaijani army's combat and moral-psychological training. The deputy defence ministers, commanders of troops, heads of departments, offices and services of the ministry attended the meeting. Commanders of military units and formations stationed in the liberated areas, as well as other responsible officers joined the meeting via video teleconference. The city of Irpin (Kyiv region) has been liberated from Russian troops, Mayor Oleksandr Markushin said. "Today we have good news, the city of Irpin has been liberated. Now a cleansing operation is underway," he said in a video message on the Telegram channel. The mayor thanked the Armed Forces of Ukraine and law enforcement officers for the liberation of the city. At the same time, he stressed that the residents of the city are still not allowed to return to the cities, as it is dangerous. "We are gaining a foothold on our borders, on new ones, and we will continue to go and liberate Bucha, Hostomel, Vorzel. We understand that there will be more attacks on our city, we will protect it. Irpin is Ukraine," he summed up. Prosecutor General: facts of using cluster bombs by Russian military in Odesa and Kherson regions confirmed Ukrainian law enforcement officers have confirmation of the use of cluster bombs by the Russian military in the territory of Odesa and Kherson regions, but there is no confirmation in Kyiv yet, Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova notes. At a briefing in Kyiv on Monday, in response to a question whether the Russian military use cluster bombs on the territory of Kyiv, Venediktova said "so far we have no concrete evidence." "We have evidence in Odesa and Kherson regions, where cluster bombs and cluster shells were used directly," the prosecutor general said. Some 5,000 residents of Mariupol, including 210 children, were killed during the 27 days of the siege of the city. The relevant indicative data was distributed on Monday by mayor of the city Vadym Boichenko. As of March 27, according to him, 170,000 residents remain in the city. Before the start of the blockade, up to 140,000 people managed to leave the city, and after the start of the blockade, another 150,000 people were evacuated, including 71,235 - in Zaporizhia, the rest - to the surrounding villages. Some 30,000 residents of Mariupol were deported to Russia. The mayor said that in Mariupol 90% (2,340) of multi-storey residential buildings were damaged, more than 60% (1,560) of them were damaged by a direct hit, more than 40% (1,040) were completely destroyed. Some 90% (61,200) of private residential buildings were also damaged, of which 60% (40,800) - by a direct hit, more than 40% (27,200) were completely destroyed. Hospitals: damaged - 7, of which 3 were destroyed. Polyclinics: damaged - 4, of which 1 was destroyed. All 3 city maternity hospitals were damaged, 1 of them was completely destroyed. Universities: damaged - 7, of them destroyed - 3. Schools: damaged - 57 (90%), of which 23 (40%) were destroyed. Kindergartens: damaged - 70 (90%), of which 28 (40%) were destroyed. Two factories, a port and military unit No. 3057 were also damaged. Ukraine is able to hold out for a long time in the confrontation with the Russian Federation, despite the latter's huge remaining resources, but it needs military assistance, in particular, modern aviation and air and missile defense systems, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Defense Intelligence of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, said. "We stand and we can stand as long as possible and we are ready for that. We will liberate the whole of Ukraine and also the temporary occupied territories. But not without more help. First of all, we need the armament support. We need serious armaments, not small arms. We need combat aviation, not the fourth generation. We need very serious air defense systems and anti-missile systems and artillery systems of 155 mm or larger. That is our main request. That's what we need most," he said in an interview with the Coffee or Die edition. "We don't need poorly outdated aircraft of the fourth generation. Our pilots who operate outdated aviation and they managed to hit and destroy the aviation that's generation four plus. They can be trained and be able to do this. Absolutely, our pilots are ready to operate them," he said. Answering a question about the prospects for a war with the Russian Federation, the head of the Defense Intelligence expressed cautious optimism and noted the low morale of the occupiers. "When I spoke to many of the captives, we hear completely frank answers. They don't know what's going on and what they're doing here. We can't call them highly motivated. I would say that this is the main reason for success. But there are other factors," he said. According to Budanov, foreigners who responded to the call of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and joined the defense of Ukraine as part of the foreign legion, as well as Ukrainian partisans fighting against Russian invaders. The Neutron Source nuclear facility based on a subcritical assembly controlled by a linear electron accelerator, located at the site of the National Scientific Center of Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology was subjected to another shelling on March 28, around 14.00. "As a result of another act of nuclear terrorism by Russia, the buildings and infrastructure located on the territory of the Neutron Source nuclear facility based on a subcritical assembly controlled by a linear electron accelerator were seriously damaged. Now it is impossible to assess in detail the extent of damage and their impact on nuclear and radiation safety due to intense hostilities that do not stop in the area of the nuclear installation," the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine said. The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate once again draws attention to the fact that the Neutron Source nuclear facility, like any other nuclear installation, is not designed for operation in combat conditions. "The continuation of its bombardment can lead to severe radiation consequences with contamination of nearby territories," the inspectorate said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson the course of negotiations, the tightening of sanctions against Russia and defense cooperation between Ukraine and the UK. "I am in constant contact with Boris Johnson. Talked about critical humanitarian situation in the blocked cities, shared information about the peace talks. Discussed strengthening sanctions against Russia and defense cooperation between Ukraine and Great Britain," Zelensky said on Twitter. Yerevan denies media reports on transferring combat planes to Russia for use in Ukraine The Armenian Defense Ministry has denied Turkish media reports alleging that Yerevan has transferred its Sukhoi Su-30 planes to Russia to be used in Ukraine. "This information is an absolute lie. All planes in service with the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as the personnel, are at their bases and are performing their duties," the Armenian Defense Ministry press service said. The Turkish TV channel Haber Global has reported earlier citing intelligence gathering that Armenia transferred four Su-30 planes to Russia. Ukraine receives a large amount of information about the intentions of the Russian Federation through undercover intelligence, including sources in the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Defense Intelligence of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, said. In an interview with the Coffee or Die military publication, which was quoted on the agency Facebook page on Monday, Budanov said that the Ukrainians managed to infiltrate many sectors of the Russian military, political and financial leadership and use the obtained information to great advantage. Agent-based intelligence has been boosted by Ukraine's rapidly growing cyber-intelligence capabilities, he said. "We have made significant progress in cyber intelligence," he said, adding that Ukraine was able to "perfectly see the circulation of Russian money." "We also know what is happening in the Russian fuel sector, and we monitor all innovations in weapons," Budanov said. One of the examples of reconnaissance activities, he called the recent missile attack in Berdiansk, which resulted in the destruction of a Russian landing ship. "The missile hit at the moment when fuel trucks and trucks with ammunition approached the ship," he said. Budanov also emphasized the importance of intelligence assistance from the allies. Russian businessman and mediator Roman Abramovich, MP of Ukraine Rustam Umerov and another representative of the Ukrainian side were found to have symptoms of poisoning after negotiations in Kyiv on the night of March 3 and 4, 2022, aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. "Following the meeting in the Ukrainian capital, Mr. Abramovich, who has shuttled between Moscow, Lviv and other negotiating venues, as well as at least two senior members of the Ukrainian team developed symptoms that included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their faces and hands," The Wall Street Journal said on Monday. The victims blamed the alleged attack on "hard-liners in Moscow who they say want to sabotage talks to end the war." At the same time, a source close to Abramovich told the publication that it was not clear who was targeting the group. The victims have since recovered, according to The Wall Street Journal, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who also had a meeting with Abramovich, was unharmed. Western experts who looked into the incident said it was hard to determine whether the symptoms were caused by a chemical or biological agent or by some sort of electromagnetic-radiation attack, the people familiar with the matter said. This information is confirmed by the British journalistic expert group Bellingcat. "Bellingcat can confirm that three members of the delegation who attended the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia on the night of March 3 and 4, 2022, showed symptoms of chemical weapons poisoning. One of the victims was Russian businessman Roman Abramovich," according to Twitter of the investigative group. According to them, on the basis of remote and field examinations, the experts concluded that the symptoms are most likely the result of poisoning by an unidentified chemical weapon. "An alternative less likely hypothesis was the use of microwave radiation. Symptoms gradually subsided over the next week," Bellingcat said. The Guardian journalist Sean Walker also confirmed this and said that Abramovich lost his sight for several hours as a result of poisoning, after which he was taken to Turkey for treatment. "A source with direct knowledge has just confirmed to me the WSJ/Bellingcat reports that Abramovich suffered symptoms of poisoning. Roman lost his sight for several hours and was treated in Turkey," Walker said on Twitter. Adviser to the head of the President's Office Mykhailo Podoliak, in turn, said that all members of the negotiating group are currently working as usual, according to the Channel 24 website. "There are a lot of information speculations in the information space, various conspiracy theories and elements of this or that information game. Therefore, I repeat once again - the members of the negotiating groups are working today in regular modes," Podoliak said, commenting on the information about the poisoning of the negotiators. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended the opening ceremony of the Citizen Reception Center under the Presidential Administration, Azertag reported on March 28. Head of the Presidential Administration Samir Nuriyev informed the head of state of the conditions created at the Center. Necessary conditions have been created for citizens to apply and their appeals to be considered in the five-storey building located at 79 Zaur Nudiraliyev Street, Narimanov district, Baku. The center features waiting rooms, service rooms for receptions, halls of different sizes for collective receptions, a medical point, psychologists, legal advisers, mother and childs room. One of the innovations implemented in the Citizen Reception Center is the commissioning of the Call Center. Calling 1111, citizens will be able to report their concerns. The appeals will be immediately accepted by the operators, and the relevant explanations will be given to the citizens. Another innovation implemented at the center is the creation of an opportunity to hold live video conferences with different regions of the country. There is a special communication system that allows all city and district executive authorities of the country to communicate in parallel with the citizen reception rooms and the relevant structural unit of the Presidential Administration. The commissioning of this Center will create conditions for more expeditious review of citizens' appeals, which is one of the important mechanisms of public control. Apart from the reception, citizens can apply to the Presidential Palace in the traditional way, or by e-mail through the official website "president.az". Each of the citizens' appeals received by the Presidential Administration is thoroughly analyzed and all issues raised are considered promptly. By Azernews By Vafa Ismayilova The most recent picture of current global and regional developments raises some questions. For instance, what brings together in the South Caucasus those who have now become adversaries as a result of the similar situation in Ukraine? Those concerned about Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea in Ukraine, Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, once turned a blind eye to the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan's Karabakh and surrounding regions and urged Baku to reconcile with the then reality. Azerbaijani troops on sovereign territories In his recent letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is a state pursuing independent policies based on the will and interests of its people. "The liberation of Azerbaijan's historical lands ended almost 30 years of Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, as our country itself implemented the relevant UN Security Council resolutions that had remained on paper for almost 30 years. As an adherent of peace, we are ready to launch negotiations on a peace treaty with Armenia based on fundamental principles of international law, such as the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of the internationally recognized borders of our country. We do hope that the United States will support Azerbaijan's peace agenda based on a vision for the future, he said. Azerbaijan continues its efforts to clarify the location of its positions and deployment points in the Karabakh region. The November 2020 ceasefire agreement signed by Baku, Yerevan, and Moscow, as well as the four UN resolutions adopted in the early 1990s, demand all Armenian armed forces to leave Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territories. And this has not been fully completed. A few days ago, in response to senior U.S. official Jalina Porters recent statement of concern over the movement of Azerbaijani troops on the territory of Karabakh, Baku stressed that the United States, as the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group has not taken any effective steps to end the military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, which has lasted nearly for 30 years. Azerbaijan has restored its territorial integrity on the basis of international law and ensured the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on its own. Currently, the administrative-territorial unit called Nagorno-Karabakh does not exist, but there are Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur economic regions, which are part of Azerbaijan. It is irresponsible for a U.S. State Department official to make such a statement on the basis of fake Armenian propaganda. We would like to emphasize once again that the Republic of Azerbaijan is on its sovereign territories, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry recalled. Double standards versus justice It should be noted that other OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, Russia and France, had a similar reaction. It should be emphasized that applying double standards to Azerbaijan, which is in the same boat with Ukraine is an answer to the above question. However, pursuing double standards while addressing problems of similar nature is incompatible with restoring global justice. In a post on his official Twitter account, Azerbaijani Consul-General to Los Angeles Nasimi Aghayev shared a similar position. Selective application of international law by great powers, especially that of the principles of territorial integrity and inviolability of borders, has brought nothing but instability, wars and bloodshed, practically destroying post-WWII rule-based world order. Time to rectify, the diplomat stressed. Azerbaijani ambassador to the United States Khazar Ibrahim also underlined this hypocrisy. Hypocrisy at work. The statements by the [U.S.] State Department and the [Russian] Defence Ministry are almost identical regarding Azerbaijan these days. Apparently, one needs to be a secular and tolerant majority Muslim country with independent policies based on international law to unite the U.S. and Russia, he tweeted. Meanwhile, Turkish media reported that Armenia had handed over combat aircraft to Russia for anti-Ukraine operations. On March 25, four Su-30 fighters are said to have taken off from Armenia and flown to Russia to be used against Ukraine. As it turns out, Armenia became a party to the conflict in Ukraine, and once again, Armenia contributed to the conflict's escalation rather than regional peace. We wonder how the United States and other Western countries will respond to Armenia's move, after previously pledging serious consequences for countries providing any military, economic, or other assistance to Russia. Will Armenia also face sanctions? Gas hysteria The recent accident on the illegally laid gas pipeline from Armenia to Azerbaijan's Karabakh triggered yet another "glass storm" in the Armenian media. A true hysteria erupted in the neighboring country, and as expected, the ramifications spread to other countries thanks to the efforts of Armenian lobbyists. The uproar over suspended gas supplies morphed into yet another issue that appears to unite Russia, the United States, and France. Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofiq Zulfugarov touched on the topic in his Facebook post. So, what can I say about the topic of gas in Khankandi? It appears that this is the only topic today on which the Russian Federation, the United States, and France all agree... As a result, their conflict in Ukraine is not our concern. On humanitarian issues, we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, but we remain neutral on the question of pro-Russian or pro-Western orientation... We have one pro-Azerbaijani stance! P.S. Is Russian gas delivered illegally from Armenia to Azerbaijani territory exempt from sanctions? Zulfugarov wrote. "Humanitarian catastrophe" It's strange that "humanitarian catastrophe" is the term most frequently used by Armenian politicians over the abovementioned issue. A country, which has held one million refugees hostage to its expansionist ambitions, suddenly remembers for the first time in 30 years, the humanitarian side of the problem. The country that polluted rivers (particularly Oxchuchay and others) with mining waste, destroyed forests, burned dry pastures in the summer, and contaminated vast areas with mine and chemical industry waste, remembered the humanitarian factor. It is interesting where were that time the international "lawyers" of Armenian separatists, who use the word humanitarian today? Why were their voices not heard at the time? So many deputies voted against the well-known PACE resolution on the Sarsang reservoir. Ultimately, despite the efforts of the Azerbaijani delegation, those who voted against it today are the most vocal about "humanitarian catastrophe". It should be noted that accidents happen everywhere, including Azerbaijan and countries where Armenian lobbyists are active today. Emergencies must be handled calmly and without excessive hysteria. However, the Armenian reality, in keeping with its policy, attempts to blame Azerbaijan for everything that has occurred in this situation. As earlier Baku stated Yerevan deliberately uses as an instrument for political manipulation of this technical problem. "Armenia kept Azerbaijans Nakhchivan with a population of more than 400,000 people in a gas blockade for many years, for 30 years used the Sarsang Reservoir as a tool for environmental terror against the population of Azerbaijan, for a long time denied the existence of maps of minefields, continues to hide information about the fate of about 4,000 Azerbaijanis who went missing in the early 1990s. Now Armenia is making similar unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan, which is political hypocrisy," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said. Support from other Western countries In the meantime, independent political expert Elkhan Shahinoglu believes that Azerbaijan can get support from other Western countries over Karabakh. We are concerned that the U.S. and France have taken the same stance as the Kremlin on the Karabakh issue while imposing harsh sanctions on Russia over Ukraine. This contradictory solidarity against us has deservedly elicited our outrage. But we won't get anywhere if we keep complaining; we need to take action to break the co-chairs' unity. The West as a whole is not pro-Armenian. Azerbaijan has close ties with the United Kingdom, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and a number of other Western countries, and various agreements have been signed. When Moscow, Washington, or Paris issue statements condemning us for the events in Karabakh, we can ask our Western allies to issue statements in our support. It is possible; you simply need to work at a lower level, the expert said on his Facebook page. Cairo governorate started on Thursday the operation of new automated garbage trucks in an experimental phase in southern Cairo, replacing traditional manual collection methods. A total of 1,745,408 preparatory school students have been examined since November in Egypts initiative for the early detection and treatment of hepatitis C, according to the Ministry of Health and Population on Thursday. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Police have seized an Armenian-left weapon and munitions in liberated Tartar, Azertag reported on March 28, citing the Interior Ministry press service. One submachine gun, two submachine gun magazines and 46 cartridges were discovered as a result of an operation conducted by the Tartar region police department in the region's Sugovushan settlement liberated from Armenian occupation in 2020. The munitions were handed over to the relevant authorities. Intensive measures are being taken together with the relevant agencies to clear the liberated territories of mines and other explosive devices and to collect weapons from abandoned military positions on the liberated territories, the ministry said. Azerbaijan and Armenia resumed the second war after the latter started firing at Azerbaijani civilians and military positions starting September 27, 2020. The war ended on November 10 with the signing of a trilateral ceasefire deal by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders. The ceasefire agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw all its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it had occupied since the early 1990s. Egypts Acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said on Thursday that 21 million women have been screened as part of the presidential initiative to support women's health, a statement by the ministry read. The announcement was made at a meeting Abdel-Ghaffar held to follow up on the progress of the initiative and key performance indicators. The initiative was launched in 2019 to screen 28 million women over 18 years old nationwide. It is part of the 100 Million Health initiative, which has screened over 60 million people for hepatitis C. The women's health initiative is designed to screen carcinoma of the breast at an early stage, pursue clinical examination, and provide free-of-charge treatment, focusing on reproductive health, family planning, and healthy lifestyles. The detection of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, and obesity, is an integral part of the initiative, which considers their risk factors and promotes breast self-exam, according to the presidency's website. The meeting, which was attended by Assistant Health Minister Mohamed Hassani and the initiative's Executive Director Ahmed Morsy, reviewed the rates of treatment provided to more than 10,000 women before and during the initiative. Since the coronavirus outbreak, about 15 million women have been examined in the initiative, according to the statement. The health ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar explained that 185,191 mammogram scans were performed, 11,263 tumor samples were taken for analysis, and 6,093 cases of breast cancer were detected and provided with treatment since the launch of the initiative. Thanks to the initiative, the average time from screening to diagnosis was shortened from 141 to 21 days, while the period from screening to treatment was decreased from 270 to 38 days, according to the spokesperson. The minister stressed the importance of disseminating the scientific researches conducted on the results of public health initiatives in leading international scientific journals to help the rest of the world develop treatment protocols. He directed the quick activation of the terms of cooperation with the National Centre of Oncology in France (Gustave Roussy) and transferring the experience of the one-stop clinics for detecting breast cancer, which will help in the rapid diagnosis of cases with high efficiency and in one place in eight hours. Morsy revealed that 14 health ministry-affiliated centres are providing cutting-edge breast cancer treatment under the initiative, and that the same services are offered at 13 new hospitals affiliated with the Supreme Council of University Hospitals. Through the initiatives website, Morsy said, women can locate their nearest clinics or inquire about them via the hotline 15335. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said in July 2021 that the state pays special attention to women while drawing up its coronavirus policies, which is out of the countrys awareness that women are the most affected groups when such crises occur. In addition to supporting womens health via the related presidential initiatives, the country has also developed financial and economic policies to further empower women economically and create job opportunities for irregular female workers, the president noted. Search Keywords: Short link: The head of Ukraine's Lugansk separatist region said Sunday it may hold a referendum on becoming part of Russia, after Moscow sent troops into its pro-Western neighbour. "I think that in the near future a referendum will be held on the territory of the republic, during which the people will... express their opinion on joining the Russian Federation," Russian news agencies quoted Leonid Pasechnik as saying. "For some reason, I am sure this will be the case," he said. Russia launched its military action in Ukraine in late February, saying it was acting in defence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics in the country's east. President Vladimir Putin had days earlier recognised the two regions as independent. The industrial, mainly Russian-speaking regions broke from Kyiv's control in 2014 in fighting that over the next few years claimed more than 14,000 lives. Russia that year annexed Crimea from Ukraine after a pro-Moscow leader was ousted in a popular uprising and a referendum was held in the southern region on becoming part of Russia. Search Keywords: Short link: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of cowardice as his country fights to stave off Russia's invading troops, making an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defense as the war ground into a battle of attrition. Speaking after US President Joe Biden said in a lacerating speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin could not stay in power, words the White House immediately sought to downplay, Zelenskyy lashed out Sunday at the West's ``ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets'' and other weapons while Russian missile attacks kill and trap civilians. ``I've talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I'm in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing,'' Zelenskyy said in a video address, referring to the besieged southern city that has suffered some of the war's greatest deprivations and horrors. ``If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage.'' Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said on NBC's ``Meet the Press'' that her country had heard Biden ``loud and clear.'' ``Now, it's all up to all of us to stop Putin while it's still local in Ukraine because this war is not only about Ukraine,`` she said, but ``an attack on democracy.'' Russia's invasion of Ukraine, now in its 32nd day, has stalled in many areas. Its aim to quickly encircle the capital, Kyiv, and force its surrender has faltered against staunch Ukrainian resistance _ bolstered by weapons from the US and other Western allies. Britain's Defense Ministry said Russia's troops are trying to encircle Ukrainian forces directly facing the two separatist-held areas in the country's east. That would cut the bulk of Ukraine's military off from the rest of the country. Moscow claims its focus is on wresting from Ukraine the entire eastern Donbas region, which has been partially controlled by Russia-backed separatists since 2014. A high-ranking Russian military official said Friday that troops were being redirected to the east from other parts of the country. The leader of one separatist-controlled area of Donbas said Sunday that he wants to hold a vote on joining Russia, words that may indicate a shift in Russia's position. Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, said it plans to hold a referendum on becoming part of Russia ``in the nearest time.'' Russia has supported the separatist rebels in Luhansk and neighboring Donetsk since an insurgency erupted there shortly after Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. In talks with Ukraine, Moscow has demanded Kyiv acknowledge the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, accused Russia of seeking to split Ukraine in two, like North and South Korea. ``The occupiers will try to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine,'' Budanov said in a statement released by the Defense Ministry. He predicted that guerrilla warfare by Ukrainians would derail such plans. Ukraine says that to defeat Russia, the West must provide fighter jets and not just missiles and other military equipment. A proposal to transfer Polish planes to Ukraine via the United States was scrapped amid NATO concerns about being drawn into direct fighting. In his pointed remarks, Zelenskyy accused Western governments of being ``afraid to prevent this tragedy. Afraid to simply make a decision.'' ``So, who is in charge of the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it still Moscow, thanks to its scare tactics?'' he asked. ``Our partners must step up their aid to Ukraine.'' His plea was echoed Sunday by a priest in the western city of Lviv, which was struck by rockets a day earlier. The aerial assault illustrated that Moscow, despite assertions that it intends to shift the war eastward, is willing to strike anywhere in Ukraine. ``When diplomacy doesn't work, we need military support,'' said the Rev. Yuri Vaskiv, who reported fewer parishioners in the pews of his Greek Catholic church, likely because of fear. Referring to Putin, he said: ``This evil is from him, and we must stop it.'' Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov confirmed Russia used air-launched cruise missiles to hit a fuel depot and a defense plant in Lyiv, about 45 miles (75 kilometers) from the Polish border. He said another strike with sea-launched missiles destroyed a depot in Plesetske just west of Kyiv, where Ukraine stored air defense missiles. A chemical smell lingered in Lyiv on Sunday as firefighters trained hoses on flames and black smoke poured from oil storage tanks hit in the attack. A security guard, Yaroslav Prokopiv, said he saw three rockets destroy two oil tanks but no one was hurt. Russia's back-to-back airstrikes shook the city that has become a haven for an estimated 200,000 people who have fled bombarded towns and cities. Lviv, which has largely been spared bombardment, also has been a waystation for most of the 3.8 million refugees who have left Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. In a dim, crowded bomb shelter under an apartment block near the first blast site, Olana Ukrainets, a 34-year-old information technology professional, said she couldn't believe she had to hide again after fleeing from the northeastern city of Kharkiv, one of the most bombarded cities. ``We were on one side of the street and saw it on the other side,'' she said. ``We saw fire. I said to my friend, `What's this?' Then we heard the sound of an explosion and glass breaking.'' In his video address, Zelenskyy angrily warned Moscow that it was sowing a deep hatred for Russia among Ukrainians. ``You are doing everything so that our people themselves leave the Russian language, because the Russian language will now be associated only with you, with your explosions and murders, your crimes,'' Zelenskyy said. Along with the millions of people who have fled Ukraine, the invasion has driven more than 10 million people from their homes, almost one-quarter of Ukraine's population. Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed. While Russia's advance on Kyiv remains stalled, fighting has raged in the suburbs, and blasts from missiles fired into the city have rattled the St. Sophia Cathedral, a 1,000-year-old UNESCO world heritage site that is the heart of Ukrainian spiritual and national identity. Vadim Kyrylenko, an engineer and conservator who is the most senior manager remaining at the church, said a strike nearby ``would be a point of no return for our landmark because it is very fragile and vulnerable.'' Pointing at the cathedral's golden domes, Kyrylenko said the cross atop the central one toppled a month before the outbreak of World War II. ``The cross on the left fell a month before this war,'' he said. Search Keywords: Short link: With its aspirations for a quick victory dashed by a stiff Ukrainian resistance, Russia has increasingly focused on grinding down Ukraine's military in the east in the hope of forcing Kyiv into surrendering part of the country's territory to possibly end the war. The bulk of the Ukrainian army is concentrated in eastern Ukraine, where it has been locked up in fighting with Moscow-backed separatists in a nearly eight-year conflict. If Russia succeeds in encircling and destroying the Ukrainian forces in the country's industrial heartland called Donbas, it could try to dictate its terms to Kyiv and, possibly, attempt to split the country in two. The Russian military declared Friday that the ``first stage of the operation'' had been largely accomplished, allowing Russian troops to concentrate on their ``top goal _ the liberation of Donbas.'' Many observers say the shift in strategy could reflect President Vladimir Putin's acknowledgment that his plan for a blitz in Ukraine has failed, forcing him to narrow his goals and change tactics amid a disastrous war that has turned Russia into a pariah and decimated its economy. U.S. and British officials also have noted that Moscow has increasingly focused on fighting the Ukrainian forces in the east while digging in around Kyiv and other big cities and pummeling them with rockets and artillery. The chief of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said Sunday the change of focus could reflect Putin's hope to break Ukraine in two, like North and South Korea, and enforce ``a line of separation between the occupied and unoccupied regions.'' ``He can't swallow the entire country,'' Budanov said, adding that Russia appears to be trying ``to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine.'' Putin and his generals haven't revealed specific military goals or a planned timeline, but the Kremlin clearly expected a quick victory when Russian troops rolled into Ukraine from the north, east and south on Feb. 24. But the Russian attempts to swiftly capture the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, the country's second-largest city, Kharkiv, and other big cities in the northeast have been thwarted by well-organized Ukrainian defenses and logistical challenges that stalled the Russian offensive. Russian forces have pounded the outskirts of Kyiv with artillery and air raids from a distance while putting their ground offensive on hold, tactics they also have used in attacking Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy in the northeast. In some sectors, including the city of Makariv that sits near a strategic highway west of Kyiv, Ukrainian troops have pushed the Russians back. Associated Press reporters saw the carcass of a Russian rocket launcher, a burned Russian truck, the body of a Russian soldier and a destroyed Ukrainian tank after the fighting there a few days ago. In the nearby village of Yasnohorodka, the AP witnessed positions abandoned by Ukrainian soldiers, who moved farther west, but no sign of Russian troops' presence. Mykola Sunhurovskyi, a military analyst at the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center think tank, said Russia has abandoned attempts to storm Kyiv and other big Ukrainian cities for now and is laying siege to them to try to weaken Ukraine and win time. ``Russia has shifted tactics to redistribute its forces and prepare for the next active stage of the war,'' Sunhurovskyi said. The Russian forces encircled the key strategic port of Mariupol and besieged it for weeks, hammering it with rockets and artillery in a carnage that killed thousands of civilians. The fall of Mariupol would free up Russian forces there and allow them to engage in a potential pincer movement together with another group of troops moving from Kharkiv in the northeast to try to encircle the Ukrainian military in the east. ``Russian forces appear to be concentrating their effort to attempt the encirclement of Ukrainian forces directly facing the separatist regions in the east of the country, advancing from the direction of Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south,'' the British Ministry of Defense said Sunday. A senior US defense official also noted the latest Russian focus on Donbas. The official said Putin may now hope to take full control of the east while keeping other Ukrainian forces occupied with the defense of Kyiv and other areas and then try to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to formally surrender control over Donbas and recognize Russia's ownership of Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. An analysis published Saturday by the Institute for the Study of War in Washington said the degree to which the Russians can push an accelerated move to cut off Donbas will depend in part on how soon their forces can gain full control of Mariupol and how badly damaged they emerge from that fight. It also noted that a halt in the Russian offensive on Kyiv could reflect ``the incapacity of Russian forces rather than any shift in Russian objectives or efforts at this time.'' While the Russian military has focused increasingly on bleeding the Ukrainian troops in the east, it has continued to use its arsenal of air- and sea-launched cruise missiles to methodically target fuel depots, military arsenals and weapons plants across the country. Philips P. Obrien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews, described Saturday's cruise missile strikes on Lviv near the border with Poland as part of the Russian strategy to cut off supplies to the Ukrainian forces fighting in the east. ``They will still want to disrupt as much as possible the flow of goods and supplies from west to east, much of which starts their journey around Lviv,'' Obrien observed. On the Black Sea coast, the Russians quickly took the port of Kherson and advanced to the outskirts of the key shipbuilding center of Mykolaiv where their offensive stalled. If the Russian forces succeed in encircling Mykolaiv, Odesa and several other Black Sea ports, it will have completely cut Ukraine's access to its coast in a devastating blow to its economy. The seizure of Odesa will also allow Moscow to establish a link to the separatist Trans-Dniester region of Moldova that hosts a Russian military base. Despite Ukrainian and Western fears, the Russian army so far hasn't pursued efforts to bypass Mykolaiv and march on Odesa. Ukrainian authorities have noted that Russia's failure to press its offensive along the coast could be explained by the fact that most of its troops in the south have remained locked in the battle for Mariupol where they have suffered heavy losses. On Friday, the Russian military reported it had lost 1,351 soldiers killed and 3,825 wounded since the start of the campaign, but NATO estimates 7,000 to 15,000 have been killed potentially as many as the Soviet Union lost in the entire 10-year war in Afghanistan. The big losses and slow pace of the Russian offensive could be a factor that forced Putin to lower his ambitions and take a more realistic approach. Volodymyr Fesenko, the head of the independent Kyiv-based Penta Center, said Russia's declared shift to the east could be an attempt to put a good face on its failed blitz and regroup before the next stage of fighting. ``Both sides need a break now for various reasons, and the Kremlin is using it to regroup its forces and search for new tactics without changing its strategic goal of subduing Ukraine,'' Fesenko told the AP. ``Tactics could change from a blitz to laying siege to cities, destroying the economy and the infrastructure with bombardment, blockading ports and doing other things. Putin has a broad arsenal of means of pressure.'' ``The stiff Ukrainian resistance could turn the war into a protracted conflict, and then the issue of financial and military resources, including warplanes and tanks Zelenskyy is urging the West to provide will be of primary importance,'' he said. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt has been striving for years to encourage both the Palestinian and Israeli sides to reach the necessary accommodation and compromise that can facilitate an end to the conflict, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry affirmed in Negev on Monday. Of course, we do so in collaboration and with the assistance of our partners in the US, the minister said in a joint press conference in Israels Negev following a summit with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the foreign ministers of Israel, Morocco, the UAE, and Bahrain. The summit, which ran from 27 to 28 March, during which they discussed key issues, including Iran and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. During the presser, Shoukry highlighted the importance of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as well as the importance of maintaining the credibility and viability of the two-state solution that allows the Israeli and Palestinian states to live side by side in peace. He also affirmed Egypts longstanding stance of the need to establish a Palestinian state on the borders of 4 June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. In recent years, Egypt has been playing an active part in the efforts of the Munich quartet - which includes Germany, France, and Jordan - to jump start the Middle East peace process. In a meeting in Munich last month, the quartet called for respecting the rights of Palestinians residing in the East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. The quartet also called for refraining from all unilateral measures that undermine the two-state solution and the prospects of a just and lasting peace, including building new Israeli settlements and confiscating land and evicting Palestinians from their homes. Constructive consultations, regular summit Shoukry described the consultations between the parties in Negev as constructive and in-depth, saying that they addressed the various challenges that the region is facing as well as the turbulent regional and international conditions. The discussions have given us an opportunity to highlight views related to how we can further progress in achieving our common objectives, he added. The summit, which Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid called historic, is the first to gather Israel with Abraham Accord countries alongside Egypt. This meeting is the first of its kind but not the last, Lapid said during the presser, indicating that the conference will become a regular event until common enemies, especially Iran and its proxies, are deterred. What we are doing here is making history, building a new regional architecture based on progress, technology, religious tolerance, security, and intelligence cooperation, Lapid said. For his part, Blinken hailed the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel and the Arab countries present, saying just a few years ago, this gathering would have been impossible to imagine. Cooperation The top Egyptian diplomat affirmed Egypts keenness to enhance areas of cooperation and interaction with Israel with the aim of benefitting regional and international peace and security. I think we have demonstrated our predictability, the dependence, and the longevity of our peace with Israel and that we are partners that can be depended on, Shoukry said, affirming Egypts keenness to continue this dialogue. We see constructive developments in the normalisation of relations and believe that the path that we put ourselves on 43 years ago is [moving towards] greater recognition of the importance and the viability of comprehensive peace and security for the region, the Egyptian FM said. In 1979, the US brokered a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, making Egypt the first Arab country to recognise Israel. Condemning terrorism Shourky also warned against practices of extra-regional interference in the affairs of other countries and their impact on security and stability in the region. Moreover, he highlighted the importance of facing terrorism and extremist thought. All the ministers in attendance condemned the killing of two Israeli police officers by two Arab gunmen in the northern Israeli city of Hadera on Sunday, which was claimed by ISIS. On every occasion, we have condemned any acts of violence, terrorism, and incitement, and believe it is our role as members of the international community and also as Arab states where there are a Muslim majority to address the religious narrative and to confront terrorism and extremism and thereby provide peace and security for our region, Shoukry said. We believe we have the resources and ability to meet these challenges with the help of our partners in the US and we will continue to seek areas of cooperation that provide for our protection of our national security interests within a peaceful and cooperative framework, he added. The FM also stressed the need to avoid any unilateral decisions that might agitate the current situation and have an impact on tranquility during this very sensitive and important time. Egypt has opposed previous unilateral decisions by Israel, including the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Band and the move to annex Jerusalem, saying such actions only hamper the chances of reaching a just solution to the Palestinian cause and an end to conflict in the Middle East. The summit comes amid Israeli and some Arab countries concerns regarding Irans nuclear programme and interference in internal Arab affairs across the region. It also comes at a time the US, EU, and Iran have been discussing reviving the 2015 landmark nuclear deal, which was nixed by former President Donald Trump. Egypt has always maintained of stance of calling for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons. In recent days, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have also stepped up their military attacks against infrastructure and civilian targets in Saudi Arabia. Egypt has repeatedly expressed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia against all terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Houthi rebels. The country has also participated in a number of high-level summits with leaders of other countries in the last several days. Last week, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held a meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh with Abu Dhabis Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett where they discussed energy, market stability, and food security amid the Ukrainian crisis. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt is a key market for Huaweis operations in the Middle East, with the company's headquarters for North Africa operations located in Cairo. Huawei has a plan to focus its investments in the Egyptian market on talent development through implementing many initiatives that centre on human capital building in cooperation with government entities, said Huaweis Technologies Vice President for Corporate Communications Karl Song on Monday. This came during a virtual media round table held on Monday to launch Huaweis annual report 2021. Song added that Huawei is working with its partners in Egypt in line with Egypt Vision 2030, particularly in the field in digital transformation and support its smart cities and advanced solutions. He also noted that Huawei Technologies has invested over $10 million in the past five years to set up three innovation centres in Cairo. On a regional level, Song stressed that Huawei is committed to investing heavily in the region, especially in 5G networks, green investments and low-carbon projects. According to the companys 2021 annual report, shared with Ahram Online, Huaweis digital power solutions helped customers generate 482.9 billion kWh of renewable electricity and save 14.2 billion kWh of electricity, which resulted in a reduction of nearly 230 million tons of carbon emissions in 2021. Song added that the region has the potential to be a leader in solar energy generation. On a global level, Song said that the ongoing challenges have affected all sectors, but 5G technologies and solutions will accelerate digital transformation and save energy to help countries cope with the repercussions of the global conflict. He noted that the company signed 3,000 agreements in the field of 5G technologies globally. Song pointed out that the geopolitical tensions, pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and the US sanctions on the company are significant challenges Huawei has experienced. The report said the company maintained solid operations in 2021, achieveing CNY 636.8 billion in revenue in 2021, and CNY 113.7 billion in net profits, an increase of 75.9 percent y-o-y. The report also showed that company's research and development (R&D) expenditure reached CNY 142.7 billion in 2021, accounting for 22.4 percent of its total revenues, and bringing its total R&D expenditure over the past 10 years to over CNY 845 billion. During the event, Huawei's Rotating Chairman Guo Ping said that the company embarked on a fast track of ecosystem development with a strong performance in 2021. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's CFO, noted that despite a revenue decline in 2021, the companys ability to make profit and generate cash flows is increasing and it is more capable of dealing with uncertainty. "Thanks to the enhanced profitability of its major businesses, the company's cash flow from operating activities dramatically increased in 2021, amounting to CNY 59.7 billion. Its liability ratio also dropped to 57.8 percent, and its overall financial structure has become more resilient and flexible, he explained. In 2021, Huawei's carrier business generated CNY 281.5 billion in revenue and helped carriers around the world deploy leading 5G networks, according to the report. It also showed that Huawei's enterprise business grew in 2021 to CNY 102.4 billion in revenue. Also in 2021, Huawei launched 11 scenario-based solutions for key sectors, including government, transportation, finance, energy, and manufacturing. 2022 may prove to be more challenging yet, but we are confident in what the future holds. We will work closely with our global partners to overcome the challenges we face as we seek to pull through and develop as a business. We will also keep increasing investments in the future to create greater value for our customers, the communities where we operate, and the society that we serve. Our goal is to survive and to do so sustainably, Huawei said in the report. Search Keywords: Short link: France, Germany and Luxembourg have seized properties and frozen assets worth 120 million euros ($130 million) in a major operation linked to money laundering in Lebanon, the EU's justice agency said Monday. "Five properties in Germany and France were seized as well as several bank accounts," were frozen, Eurojust said in a statement. The Hague-based Eurojust said the operation on Friday was directed against five suspects who were suspected of embezzling public funds in Lebanon of more than $330 million between 2002 and 2021. This included the seizure of a three properties in Germany, valued at 28 million euros as well as other assets worth seven million euros. In France, two Paris properties valued at 16 million euros as well as a bank account with 2.2 million euros were seized. In Luxembourg, around 11 million euros were frozen in another bank account, Eurojust said. The agency did not give any details on the suspects, saying "they are assumed to be innocent until proven guilty." French anti-graft prosecutors last year opened a probe into the personal wealth of Riad Salameh, the central bank chief in crisis-hit Lebanon. Prosecutors are probing Salameh's alleged links to criminal association and money laundering, judicial sources said, following a similar move by Switzerland. In post since 1993 and once hailed by political and business leaders, Salameh has been repeatedly accused by the government of former caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab of being responsible for the collapse of the Lebanese pound. The Lebanese public suspect him and other high officials of transferring money abroad during a 2019 uprising, when ordinary people were prevented from doing so. The 71-year-old former Merrill Lynch banker has defended himself, saying he believed he was being made the scapegoat for the Middle Eastern country's financial woes. His lawyers too, have called for the opening of a judicial probe, saying "it will give us access to the file" the contents of which "we contest entirely." Search Keywords: Short link: A trade mission organised by the Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce (EBCC) in collaboration with the UK Department for International Trade (DIT) kicked off a tour in Egypt on Sunday, the British embassy in Cairo announced. The mission, which is taking place from 27 to 30 March 2022, aims to showcase opportunities for joint projects between British and Egyptian companies in key sectors such as infrastructure, energy, and finance. The mission, which comprises 31 delegates from 18 companies, is headed by chairman of the EBCC Ian Gray and is supported by UK Ambassador to Egypt Gareth Bayley. After over two years of COVID-19 restrictions, it is great for so many UK companies to have come with EBCC to Cairo looking for partners and opportunities, in particular with the private sector, chairman of the EBCC Ian Gray said in the British embassys statement, adding that he looks forward to Egyptian companies meeting with the mission and discovering their opportunities. The mission started its activities with meetings with officials at Egypts ministries of transport, housing, electricity and finance, as well as extensive private sector meetings, the British embassy said in its statement. The delegates also visited the New Administrative Capital on Monday. A meeting of the EBCC and DITs Infrastructure Committee is set to take place during the mission. The meeting will be attended by leading Egyptian companies operating in the infrastructure sector. The initiative will bring together private sector companies from the UK and Egypt, relevant government departments, and international financial institutions in support of increased bilateral collaboration in this sector. Egypts construction sector has grown significantly over the past 10 years and is expected to grow further, the embassy said, adding that infrastructure is a vital driver of the economy and has a significant and positive impact on economic growth. The embassys statement said the Egyptian energy sector has grown steadily over the past few years, and there are numerous opportunities for sustainable projects in Egypt including span wind, water, and solar, creating great prospects for British business. As part of our Green Partnership between the UK and Egypt, we are committed to working together with Egypt to ensure that COP27 builds on the legacy of COP26 and that Egypt realises its ambitious sustainable energy strategy and continues on its path to clean growth, Ambassador Bayley said, adding that the private sector will be essential in this regard. The Road to Green Economy trade mission by the Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce is an important step in building bridges between the UK and Egypt that will strengthen our trade relationship and drive our mutual clean economic growth, he added. The UK is considered one of the biggest investors in Egypt, with its investments reaching around 50 billion through about 2,000 companies investing in the Egyptian market, Bayley said in remarks to the media in November. Earlier on Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson affirmed in a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi the UKs keenness to continue cooperating with Egypt in its efforts to confront climate change and any measures it takes to boost the economy. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, the President-Designate of COP27, discussed on Sunday with his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi cooperation between the two countries in preparation for the climate change conference, with the aim of ensuring its success in reaching results to bolster action on climate issues. Egypt, which will host the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh in November, has been in talks with a host of international partners to ensure the success ofthe event. During a video conference call, Shoukry and Hayashi also discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as the latest regional and international developments, foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said on Sunday. They also discussed cooperation in the fields of culture, investment and trade. Both FMs also addressed various cooperation mechanisms that could benefit Arab and African countries. The Japanese foreign minister expressed his country's continued support for the activities of the Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA). The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs founded the CCCPA in 1994 "as an independent, non-partisan center of excellence in training, capacity building and research in the fields of conflict prevention and resolution, crisis management, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, transnational threats, and preventing radicalization and extremism leading to terrorism." For his part, Shoukry seconded praise for the centre's role in promoting peace and security in the African continent. The two sides, according to the statement, agreed to enhance coordination within the framework of the Tokyo International Conference on African Developments (TICAD) eighth summit to be held later this year in Tunisia, noting that the summit will focus on supporting African economies in light of the various challenges they face. Cairo has vowed to speak for Africa's aspirations at the COP27 conference, which will discuss ways to support efforts to reduce carbon emissions and provide funding for developing countries to deal with the repercussions of climate change. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt and Qatar announced on Monday that they have established a high joint committee headed by their foreign ministers to boost cooperation and coordination in all fields as well as to continue consultation, the foreign ministries of both countries said in a joint statement. Earlier on Monday, Qatari Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held talks in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart FM Sameh Shoukry. According to the joint statement, both officials praised the work of the follow-up committee that was formed after the 2021 Al-Ula Declaration to search for consensus on a host of issues. They also said that they appreciate the level their bilateral relations have reached and how relations have returned to their normal status, the statement said. In a press conference held in Cairo following their talks, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that Egyptian-Qatari relations are in constant development and that his government supports upgrading them. We see that the horizon of the relations between Qatar and Egypt is wide in boosting economic partnership and communication between the two countries on all levels, the Qatari FM said, adding that the past period that was marred by tensions is over. In January 2021, Egypt, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, signed the Al-Ula Declaration with Qatar, restoring diplomatic, economic, and travel ties with Doha after a boycott imposed by the Arab quartet since mid-2017. In the wake of the Al-Ula declaration, Egypt and Qatar agreed to move beyond their disputes and work towards settling all outstanding issues. Shoukry stressed at the presser that Egypt looks forward to continuing the friendly relations and cooperation with Qatar, adding that their discussions addressed activating bilateral relations and exploring chances of cooperation in various fields. "The impurities that plagued the relations were removed through consensus on the statement of Al-Ula, the subsequent honest and sincere activation of the follow-up committee, and the positive results it reached," Shoukry said. Egypt seeks to have an understanding and cooperation based on mutual respect and the respect of non-interference in countries affairs, he stressed. For his part, Al-Thani stressed that Egypt has a pivotal role in consolidating security and stability in the region. Regional issues The Egyptian FM added that Egypts stance regarding support for the current Libyan political course is consistent, adding that Egypt supports Libya and non-intervention in its affairs. The Qatari FM also said that Doha supports a smooth political course in Libya. Meanwhile, Shoukry said that the participation of Egypt in the Negev summit in Israel over the weekend - along with Israel, the UAE, the US, Bahrain and Morocco - aimed to push the Middle East peace process forward and support the just rights of the Palestinians. Search Keywords: Short link: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree approving the "Regulation on the State Commission for International Humanitarian Aid". According to the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to approve the "Rules for the receipt, accounting, delivery to the destination, storage, protection and distribution of humanitarian cargo entering the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan" within four months and inform the President of Azerbaijan about this, also resolve other issues, arising from this decree. The Decree of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic No. 164 dated March 9, 1995 approving the "Regulation on the State Commission for International Humanitarian Aid," is annulled. Egypt lifted on Sunday a ban on Ramadan charity banquets, ending a two-year suspension on the popular tradition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ramadan charity banquets are organised publicly in the streets by the well-to-do to provide free Iftar meals for millions of poor people during the holy month, which starts in Egypt this year on 2 April. According to Cabinet Spokesperson Nader Saad, the High Committee to Manage Pandemics and Endemics, headed by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, also lifted a number of restrictions on mosques during Ramadan. Mosques will now be allowed to open their annex event halls and conduct the afternoon prayer sermons (Al-Asr) and mass Ramadan night prayers (Taraweeh) sermon during the holy month. Ramadan late-night prayers (Tahajjud) and seclusion in mosques for a period of time in Ramadan (Itikaf) will still be prohibited. The new decisions issued by the committee stipulate that shops, restaurants and cafes are allowed to remain open till 2am, according to Saad. The committee also allowed weddings and celebrations at indoor halls in hotels starting April as long as they follow precautionary measures against coronavirus. During the meeting of the committee, Acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar emphasised that COVID-19 related fatalities have declined in the country over the past five weeks. The number of isolation hospitals also declined from 17 to seven, due to the decline in the number of cases admitted for treatment, he added. He also revealed that Egypt has administrated 76.5 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, adding that 32 million people have been fully vaccinated nationwide. The Ministry of Health has also administrated about 2 million booster coronavirus doses. Abdel-Ghaffar also stated there are enough vaccine doses to vaccinate nearly 40 million citizens. Search Keywords: Short link: Acting Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar launched on Sunday an initiative for the early detection and treatment of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) - liver cancer, the sixth most prevalent cancer in the globe. The initiative comes as an extension of the national initiative to screen for the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that was launched in 2018 under the umbrella of the larger 100 Million Healthy Lives Presidential Initiative to protect citizens health and social security, Abdel-Ghaffar said. Liver cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer in the globe and the fourth most prevalent cause of death from cancer. Egypt has the world's second highest incidence of HCC, which can be ascribed to the elevated prevalence and complications of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). In July 2020, the health ministry announced that Egypt has become the first country to succeed in becoming free of HCV thanks to the national initiative to end the infectious disease that ended in April 2019. The goal of such health initiatives is to ensure the presence of a comprehensive, effective, and stable system that helps detect liver cancer, curbing complications and reducing deaths that result from liver diseases, Abdel-Ghaffar affirmed. In the recent past, Egypt faced a key challenge in confronting HCV due to its health and socio-economic ramifications, a matter which required joint efforts from the concerned bodies along with the health ministry to eliminate the disease, he explained. The minister added that Egypt has the best protocols for treating liver cancer patients who are in the first and intermediate stages through liver resection tumour surgeries and liver transplants. Drugs for liver cancer are available at 22 centres affiliated with the National Committee for the Control of Viral Hepatitis (NCCVH) at ministry and university hospitals, he said. There are 166 cancer cases in Egypt for every 100,000 people, according to the National Cancer Registry Program (NCRP), which makes the rate of documented cancer diagnosis in the country one of the lowest internationally. The HCV initiative included mass screenings for all citizens over the age of 18 for the early detection of HCV alongside evaluation and treatment in Hepatitis treatment units deployed nationwide. The early detection campaign included diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, directing those who need to receive treatment to various units and hospitals in the republic to reduce deaths caused by non-communicable diseases, which represent about 70 percent of deaths in Egypt. The country also launched an initiative for the early detection of genetic diseases under the umbrella of the 100 Million Healthy Lives Initiative in July 2021, managing to screen 70,000 new born infants until February 2022, the ministry said. Furthermore, Egypt screened over 22 million women as of February 2022 as part of a presidential initiative launched in 2019 to support womens health. The initiative aims to screen 28 million women over 18 years of age. Search Keywords: Short link: Reforming religious discourse in Egypt would play an important role in curbing the early marriages of girls, as the personal status laws in the country are based on religious regulations, not on the civil code, an Egyptian human rights group said on Sunday. The Cairo-based Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialogue (FDHRD) issued on Sunday a report called Early marriage of underage girls in Egypt and renewing religious discourse, discussing the early marriage problem in the country and religions role in it. According to the report, religion, whether Islam or Christianity, plays an important role in underage marriage, as the registration of the marriage contract require an authorised Mazun (Sheikh) or a priest from the church. And according to some misconceptions, Muslim and Christin clergy believe the suitable age for marriage for girls to be after puberty, from 13 to 19 years old, and so some of them agree to register marriage contracts for underage girls, according to the report. The legal age for marriage in Egypt is 18 years old. The FDHRD mentioned that according to estimates, no less than 117,000 underage girls get married annually in the country, but the real number could be three times as high. It also mentioned that early marriages have caused a number of consequences including a surge in the divorce rates in Egypt as well as an increase in population. The NGO added that the economic conditions, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, have made Egyptian families in rural areas force their underage girls into early marriage. Search Keywords: Short link: The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Monday after a pair of Arab gunmen killed two Israeli police officers and wounded four others in central Israel before they were killed by police, authorities said. Israeli leaders condemned the killings and pointed to the timing. Sunday's attack came on the eve of a special meeting between the foreign ministers of four Arab nations and the United States in the Israeli Negev. It was the second deadly attack carried out by Arab assailants in an Israeli city in less than a week. Both attacks came ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. ``This was murder for the sake of murder and terror for the sake of terror,'' Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said, flanked by the minsters from the US, Baharain, Morocco, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. ``The terrorist goal is to intimidate us,`` Lapid added. ``We will not let them.`` ``Our presence here today is, I think, the best response to such attacks,'' said Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. On Tuesday, a lone attacker inspired by the Islamic State group killed four people in a stabbing rampage in southern Israel before he was killed by passersby, police said. The Islamic State group in a posting on its Aamaq news agency claims responsibility for the attack, saying two IS members killed two Israeli security forces. ``The heart breaks'' over the attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, said Monday. The Israeli premier issued the statement from home, after testing positive for the coronavirus. He urged people to be vigilant. Police were expected to set up checkpoints on major roads Tuesday. Ramadan is expected to begin on Saturday. Last year, clashes between Israeli police and Muslim protesters during the holy month boiled over into an 11-day war between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers. Condemnation for the attacks poured in from governments around the world. ``Such senseless acts of violence and murder have no place in society,'' tweeted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who attended the gathering in the Negev with the foreign ministers of four Arab countries and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, praised the attack as a ``heroic operation.'' Security camera footage circulating on Israeli media showed two bearded men appearing to open fire in Hadera before they are shot. An Israeli official said two members of the Israeli Border Police counterterrorism unit were in a restaurant near the attack, ran out and killed the assailants. The Israeli rescue service MADA confirmed the deaths of one man and one woman, and said four people were wounded, two seriously. It released videos showing large numbers of police cars and ambulances in the area. Attacks by IS inside Israel are rare. The group operates mainly in Iraq and Syria, where it has recently stepped up attacks against security forces there carried out through sleeper cells, despite its territorial defeat more than three years ago. The extremist group has also claimed attacks against Israeli troops in the past and has branches in Afghanistan and in Asia and beyond. Search Keywords: Short link: The BBC urged the Taliban on Sunday to reverse what it said was an order to remove international broadcasters from Afghan airwaves, which has blocked the British broadcaster's news bulletins. "The BBC's TV news bulletins in Pashto, Persian, and Uzbek have been taken off air in Afghanistan after the Taliban ordered our TV partners to remove international broadcasters from their airwaves," Tarik Kafala, head of languages at the BBC World Service, said in a statement. Related Taliban detain journalists over report on TV show censoring "We call on the Taliban to reverse their decision and allow our TV partners to return the BBC's news bulletins to their airwaves immediately." The UN National Assistance Mission in Afghanistan described the action against international media as "another chilling development". "Taliban instruct Afghan media to suspend any further transmission of international media broadcasts. Another repressive step against the people of Afghanistan," the UN mission tweeted. Kafala called the move by the Taliban "a worrying development at a time of uncertainty and turbulence for the people of Afghanistan". He noted more than six million Afghans consume the BBC's journalism on TV every week. "It is crucial they are not denied access to it in the future," he added. The development came as the Taliban, which seized power last summer and forced the hasty exit of remaining Western troops, diplomats, and others, has this week come under rising pressure over female education. Women's rights activists pledged on Sunday to launch a wave of nationwide protests if the hardline Islamists now governing the country fail to reopen girls' secondary schools within a week. Thousands of secondary school girls had flocked to classes earlier this week after institutions reopened for the first time since last August. But officials ordered the schools shut again just hours into the day, triggering international outrage. Search Keywords: Short link: The Philippines and the United States launched the largest-ever joint military drills in the archipelago nation on Monday, signalling deepening defence ties as fresh tensions surface in the disputed South China Sea. The war games are the last under outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, who previously threatened to cancel exercises and axe a key military deal with longtime ally the United States as he pivoted towards China. Nearly 9,000 Filipino and American soldiers will take part in the 12-day training event across the main island of Luzon, which is usually an annual affair but was cancelled or curtailed during the pandemic. Philippine military chief General Andres Centino said at the opening ceremony in Manila that the largest round of the Balikatan war games reflected the "deepening alliance" between the two countries. US Major General Jay Bargeron said the "friendship and trust" between their respective armed forces would allow them to "succeed together across the entire spectrum of military operations". The exercises will cover maritime security, amphibious operation, live-fire training and counterterrorism, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Recent manoeuvres between the two countries focused on potential conflict in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety. Since taking power in 2016 Duterte has moved closer to China, but has faced pushback from the Philippine public and concern in the military wary of Beijing's territorial ambitions in the waters. Trillions of dollars in trade pass through the strategic sea and it is thought to contain rich petroleum deposits, making it a frequent source of regional friction. China has ignored a 2016 ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration that its historical claim is without basis. It has reinforced its stance by building artificial islands over some contested reefs and installing weapons on them. Tensions spike- The future of the war games was thrown into doubt after Duterte said in February 2020 that he planned to axe the Visiting Forces Agreement, which provides the legal framework for the United States to hold joint military exercises and operations in the Philippines. But he walked back the decision last July, as tensions between Manila and Beijing over the South China Sea spiked following the detection of hundreds of Chinese boats parked at a reef off the Philippines. On the eve of the joint drills, the Philippine Coast Guard accused its Chinese counterpart of steering one of its ships within metres of a Filipino patrol boat near the disputed Scarborough Shoal -- a flashpoint between the two countries. That came weeks after Manila confronted Beijing's ambassador over a Chinese navy ship "lingering" in the Philippines' archipelagic waters. The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to media requests for comment on the war games. But on the Scarborough Shoal incident, China's foreign ministry on Monday urged the Philippine ships to "earnestly respect China's sovereignty" over the area. The exercises are being held in the shadow of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The US and its allies are providing defensive weapons to Kyiv and imposing crippling economic sanctions on Moscow. Duterte, whose six-year term ends in June, has expressed concern that the Philippines was "involved" in the conflict because of its security alliance with the United States. That includes a mutual defence treaty and permission for the US military to store defence equipment and supplies on several Philippine bases. Search Keywords: Short link: The Taliban have ordered airlines in Afghanistan to stop women from flying unless accompanied by a male relative, in the latest crackdown on basic human rights by the country's new rulers since seizing power. The hardline Islamists have imposed sweeping restrictions on freedoms, mostly targeting Afghan girls and women, and on Sunday also ordered local television channels to stop broadcasting BBC news bulletins. Over the weekend, they also decreed that men and women could not visit parks in the capital on the same days. After returning to power in August the Taliban promised a softer version of the harsh rule that characterised their first stint in power, from 1996 to 2001, but restrictions have crept back often implemented regionally at the whim of local officials. Women are increasingly being shut out of public life -- barred from high schools and most government jobs, and ordered to dress according to the Taliban's strict interpretation of the Koran. In their latest crackdown, the Taliban ordered Afghanistan's Ariana Afghan Airlines and Kam Air to stop women from boarding flights unless they were escorted by a "mahram", or adult male relative. The decision was taken after a meeting on Thursday between representatives of the Taliban, the two airlines, and Kabul airport immigration authorities, aviation officials told AFP. "No women are allowed to fly on any domestic or international flights without a male relative," said a letter by a senior Ariana official to his staff, a copy of which was obtained by AFP. A spokesman for the Taliban's religious enforcers, the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, denied ordering the flight ban, but two travel agents told AFP they had stopped issuing tickets to solo women travellers. God's order The edict was not expected to affect foreigners, although aviation officials reported that an Afghan woman with a US passport was prevented from flying last week. "Some women who were travelling without a male relative were not allowed to board a Kam Air flight from Kabul to Islamabad on Friday," a passenger on the flight told AFP. The Taliban have already banned inter-city road trips for women travelling alone. The flight ban came as the vice ministry ordered that men and women should not visit parks in Kabul on the same days. Women are now permitted to visit parks only on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, while the remaining days are reserved for men, a ministry notification said. "It is not the Islamic Emirate's order but our God's order that men and women who are strangers to each other should not gather at one place," Mohammad Yahya Aref, an official at the vice ministry, told AFP. The new restriction on women follows Wednesday's shutdown of all girls' secondary schools just hours after they were allowed to reopen for the first time since August. Tens of thousands of girls had flocked back to class, but officials ordered them home just hours into the day, triggering international outrage. Taliban sources said that the decision was taken after a closed-door meeting of the movement's leaders last week in Kandahar, the de facto power centre of the group Screws tightening Several Afghan women activists have warned of nationwide protests if the schools were not open within a week. Heather Barr, Human Rights Watch associate director for women's rights, said the latest restrictions were "scary". "We see the screws tightening on women and girls every day now," she said. "They have abandoned at least for now any effort to reach an accommodation with the international community, and that leaves them with nothing to lose." The Taliban appear to have also set their sights on local media networks, which flourished under the previous US-backed regimes. On Monday, Taliban intelligence agents raided four radio stations in Kandahar and detained six journalists, sources said. The raids come a day after the authorities ordered the BBC's television partners in Afghanistan to stop broadcasting its news bulletins. "Since the foreign TV channels are broadcast from abroad, the Islamic Emirate has no access to control their contents, especially when it comes to journalists' uniforms and dresses," government spokesman Inamullah Samangani told AFP. The Taliban have already ordered women journalists working in Afghan television networks to wear hijabs, and stopped channels from broadcasting foreign dramas. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias followed up during a meeting in Cairo Monday on ways of activating tripartite memoranda of understanding with Cyprus in the energy field, particularly in the areas of natural gas and electricity interconnection. During their meeting the FMs stressed the importance of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) as a framework for multilateral cooperation in the field of energy, Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Hafez said. In October 2021, Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus signed a trilateral agreement on power linkage during a summit gathering the leaders of the three countries in Athens. The two top diplomats discussed also ways to promote economic cooperation, increase the volume of trade exchange and activate various sectors of cooperation between their countries. They further agreed to coordinate stances on various issues of mutual concern. Search Keywords: Short link: Russian forces have made no significant progress in the past 24 hours amid continuing supply problems and aggressive resistance from Ukrainian fighters, UK.defense officials say. Poor morale and a lack of momentum have compounded the problems facing Russian forces, Britain's Ministry of Defense said in its latest intelligence briefing. Heavy fighting continues around Mariupol as Russian forces try to capture the port on the Sea of Avov, which connects to the Black Sea, the ministry said in a briefing posted on Twitter. Earlier, the ministry said Russia was maintaining a blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea coast, cutting off maritime trade with the country. The Russian navy is also launching ``sporadic'' missile strikes against targets in Ukraine, the ministry said. Search Keywords: Short link: The Ukrainian government estimated Monday the economic damages losses from the Russian invasion, which has been underway for just over one month, at nearly $565 billion. Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Facebook that the $564.9-billion (515.8-billion-euro) estimate includes immediate damage plus expected losses in trade and economic activity. "It should be noted that every day the numbers change and unfortunately they are increasing," said Svyrydenko, who is also a deputy prime minister. Damage to public and private property -- with Russian forces resorting to fierce bombardments that have levelled some cities as their invasion, which began February 24, has stalled -- was the biggest element. Svyrydenko said public infrastructure losses -- including damaged roads, railways and airports -- totalled $119 billion, while damage to private property including housing was up to $90.5 billion. Damages and losses suffered by private firms was put at $80 billion. Svyrydenko estimated gross domestic product in 2022 would be down by $112 billion, which would be a drop of more than 55 percent of Ukraine's economic activity last year. Ukraine's government will likely miss out on $48 billion in tax revenue, or just about all of what it was expecting to take in this year. Meanwhile, $54 billion in foreign direct investment will likely not materialise. Svyrydenko said Ukraine's government would seek to confiscate Russian assets seized in the country as compensation. "Ukraine, despite all the obstacles, will seek to exact compensation payments from the aggressor," she said. Search Keywords: Short link: By Trend Azerbaijani Parliament will approve a memorandum of understanding on the Caucasian Eagle Special Forces exercises, Trend reports referring to the parliament. In this regard, the bill "On approval of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia on the Caucasian Eagle exercises of the special forces" has been discussed at a meeting of the Parliaments Committee on International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations. Besides, the meeting participants discussed the bill "On approval of the protocol on the number of obligatory payments of the member states to the agreement on financial rules of the Secretariat of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States." Both bills were recommended for consideration at the next plenary session of the Parliament. Russia and Ukraine will restart face-to-face peace negotiations on Monday, amid warnings that the situation in the besieged city of Mariupol was now "catastrophic". President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the resumption of over-the-table talks, saying they must bring peace "without delay" and signalling a willingness to compromise on the most sensitive topics. The two sides have not met in person in weeks, but will hold three days of talks in Istanbul from Monday, according to David Arakhamia, a Ukrainian negotiator, lawmaker and Zelensky ally. Several rounds of talks have already failed to end the war sparked by the Russian invasion, which is now in its second month. About 20,000 people have been killed, according to Zelensky, 10 million have fled their homes and despite Russian military setbacks, several cities are still coming under withering bombardment. In the southern port city of Mariupol, about 170,000 civilians are encircled by Russian forces, with ever-dwindling supplies of food, water and medicine. Ukraine's foreign ministry said the situation there was "catastrophic" and the assault from land, sea and air had turned the once-thriving city of 450,000 people "into dust". France, Greece and Turkey are hoping to launch a mass evacuation of civilians within days, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, who has sought an agreement from Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Return to the table With Russia's much-larger military hampered and humbled by fierce Ukrainian resistance, the Istanbul talks will test whether battlefield setbacks have tempered Moscow's demands. Moscow was recently forced to abandon its efforts to capture Kyiv, and -- according to senior Russian general Sergei Rudskoi -- focus on the "main goal" of controlling the eastern Donbas region. The fate of Russian-occupied Donbas and Crimea, as well as fundamental disagreements about Kyiv's alignment with the West are again set to be the focus of negotiations. "Our goal is obvious -- peace and the restoration of normal life in our native state as soon as possible," Zelensky said in a late-night video message that also set out his negotiating red lines. "Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt. Effective security guarantees for our state are mandatory," he said. Zelensky had previously indicated he is "carefully" considering a Russian demand of Ukrainian "neutrality" and indicated he was willing to negotiate the future of Donbas at a later date. "We understand that it is impossible to liberate all territory by force, that would mean World War III, I fully understand and realise that," he said. For his part, Putin has avoided clearly defining the goals of his invasion, stating only that he wants to "demilitarise and denazify" but not occupy Ukraine. Commentators hope that vagueness will now give him more room to accept an agreement, claim victory and end the war. Spanner in the works? It remains to be seen whether talks will be hampered by US President Joe Biden's shock declaration that Putin "cannot remain in power". The ad-libbed remark sparked outrage in Moscow and seemed to undercut Biden's own efforts for the West to present a united front. Asked by reporters Sunday if he had been calling for regime change, Biden responded: "No." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also told media that was "not the objective of NATO, nor that of the US president." Macron warned that any escalation "in words or action" could harm his efforts in talks with Putin to agree on evacuating civilians from Mariupol. Neither intense diplomacy nor steadily mounting sanctions have persuaded Putin to halt the war. Divided nation Many in Ukraine remain suspicious that Moscow could use the talks as an opportunity to regroup and fix serious tactical and logistical problems in the Russian military. Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said Putin could still be aiming to divide the country in a Korea-like fashion -- to "impose a separation line between the occupied and unoccupied regions". "After a failure to capture Kyiv and remove Ukraine's government, Putin is changing his main operational directions. These are south and east," he wrote on Facebook. "It will be an attempt to set up South and North Koreas in Ukraine." Russia has de facto control over the southern region of Crimea and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics in the country's eastern Donbas region. The head of Ukraine's Lugansk separatist region has indicated it may hold a referendum on becoming part of Russia. Resistance in besieged Mariupol is the main obstacle preventing Moscow from gaining unbroken control of land from the Donbas to the Crimea. Counterattacks But it is clear Russia's original hopes of sweeping across Ukraine undeterred have faded. Russian forces have made little progress in capturing key cities, prompting a shift to aerial bombardment of civilians. With Western-supplied weapons, Ukraine's fighters continue to hold off -- or even push back -- the Russian army. In the southern town of Mykolaiv, under heavy assault for weeks, the bombardments appeared to be easing. That was a welcome respite for locals like young Sofia, who suffered head injuries during shelling in early March near Mykolaiv. "Now I can move my arms and legs a little. I still can't get up without my mother's help, but hopefully I can leave soon," she told AFP. The frontlines appeared to have receded from Mykolaiv, with a counteroffensive being mounted in Kherson, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) to the southeast. Recent shelling killed two people in a village near Kherson, the only significant city the Russian army claims to have seized. In Kherson itself, about 500 people took part in anti-Russian demonstrations on Sunday. Kyrylo, a paramedic who spoke with AFP by telephone, said Russians dispersed the peaceful rally with tear gas and stun grenades. The Ukrainian defence ministry said its forces had also recaptured Trostianets, a town near the Russian border. It released images showing Ukrainian soldiers and civilians among heavily damaged buildings and what appeared to be abandoned Russian military equipment. Search Keywords: Short link: More than 10 million Ukrainians, nearly a quarter of the population, have been displaced since Russia invaded the country a bit more than one month ago, the UN refugee agency UNHCR says. An estimated 3.7 million people have fled to neighboring countries, while more than 6.5 million have been displaced inside Ukraine since the Russian invasion began Feb. 24. UN refugee officials say another 13 million are stranded in conflict areas, unable to leave because of the danger. From the western city of Lviv, UNHCR Ukraine representative Karolina Lindholm Billing says everything has changed for Ukraine in the past month. She says development projects, homes, and social structures have been turned into rubble under the relentless Russian bombing. She says the past month has reversed and set back the many development gains that have been achieved for disabled children, the elderly, and many other vulnerable people over the past eight years. "We are today confronted with the realities of a massive humanitarian crisis, which is growing by the second. And the seriousness of the situation in Ukraine cannot be overemphasized. Overnight, lives have been shattered and families ripped apart. And today, these millions of people in Ukraine live in constant fear of indiscriminate shelling and heavy bombardment," she said. Lindholm Billing says UNHCR staff is working around the clock to deliver as much humanitarian aid as it can to wherever possible. President-elect Yoon Seok-youl, who takes office in May, will send a delegation to the U.S. in mid-April to discuss the bilateral alliance and other global issues. Yoon's spokesperson said Sunday the delegation will meet with White House officials, Congress members and think-tank staff. The five-member team will be headed by lawmaker Park Jin of the People Power Party, who played a key role in laying out Yoon's pre-election foreign and national security pledges. The government is considering entering swap agreements for Paxlovid COVID-19 treatment pills with major foreign countries amid criticism that it failed to secure sufficient supplies as infection and death numbers surge. Government officials said they plan to consider the option after an expert advised it, as they did with vaccines. Jung Ki-suck at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital told a radio program last week, "Western countries have probably prepared large volumes of Paxlovid. Swapping is one option. We can borrow [supplies] first and then repay other countries with shipments we're supposed to receive." Korea has imported around 200,000 courses of Paxlovid so far, which is only 30 percent of the contracted volume. The oral COVID-19 treatment has been prescribed for 5,000 to 7,000 infected people a day recently and stockpiles of the drug could run dry in just two weeks. KYODO NEWS - Mar 28, 2022 - 23:19 | All, World, Japan The Group of Seven major developed countries Monday agreed to reject Russia's demand to pay for its natural gas in rubles when importing, Japan's industry ministry said. Energy ministers from the seven countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States -- also agreed during an emergency meeting to ask firms in their respective countries not to meet Russia's demand. The G-7 concluded that the attempt made by Russian President Vladimir Putin to unilaterally change the currency of settlement constituted a clear breach of contract, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The ministry said it remains up to the Russian government to decide whether transactions involving natural gas would stop as a result of refusing to pay in rubles. Putin surprised Japanese energy companies last week when he announced that Russia will seek payment in rubles, not dollars or euros as commonly used, for gas sales from "unfriendly countries" such as Japan and the United States that have been imposing sanctions on Moscow. KYODO NEWS - Mar 28, 2022 - 14:48 | All, Japan, World Ministers from Japan and African nations highlighted the importance of democracy and the rule of law in their two-day online talks that ended Sunday, amid China's growing assertiveness and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "The participants underscored the need for the consolidation of democracy and good governance under the rule of law as a pressing priority," the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in the chair's summary released Monday following the meeting, which precedes the eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development slated for August. At a time when Beijing has been stepping up its maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific region, the ministers also reaffirmed the importance of "maintaining a rules-based maritime order in accordance with the principles of international law," the summary said. In an apparent criticism of Chinese financing practices in which countries receiving Chinese investment are sometimes saddled with loans they cannot repay, they agreed that "development finance adhering to international rules and standards, such as debt sustainability, enhanced transparency and mutual accountability" is vital. China has been accused of adopting a "debt trap" policy in which debt is used as leverage to gain strategic concessions from borrowing nations, such as the long-term lease of port facilities in a resource-rich, strategically important region. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and representatives from 50 African nations "urge all major creditors including private ones to follow fair and open lending practices," the document said. Referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine launched last month, the ministers also stressed the importance of "respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity," although they fell short of blaming Moscow collectively. Japan has strongly condemned Russia's aggression as "totally unacceptable." "The participants expressed concern about the situation in Ukraine and its impacts and called for the international community to work together," according to the summary. As for the coronavirus pandemic, they confirmed the need for the international community to cooperate in addressing its economic and social impact on African nations, and to urge "a robust, sustainable and inclusive development to achieve build back better." To encourage economic growth in a post-COVID era, the ministers pledged to promote investment in digital transformation-related businesses and a low-carbon and resource-efficient "green economy," underpinned by "a free and open international economic system." The upcoming TICAD meeting is scheduled for Aug. 27 to 28 under the chairmanship of Tunisia, although whether it will be held in a virtual format is still being considered, according to the ministry. Co-sponsored by Japan, the United Nations and a few other international organizations, TICAD was launched in 1993. It was last held in August 2019 in the port city of Yokohama, near Tokyo. Related coverage: Japan to help African countries escape China's "debt trap" KYODO NEWS - Mar 28, 2022 - 22:05 | All, World Ukraine is prepared to discuss adopting a policy of "neutrality" in cease-fire talks with Russia, its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview on Sunday with Russian journalists. Ukraine is willing to give up on its effort to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as Russia has demanded, if neighboring countries guarantee its security, he said in the online interview. The talks are expected to be held in person on Tuesday in Turkey's largest city of Istanbul. Ukraine could sign such a pact with its neighbors, including Russia, in exchange for it abandoning its possible bid for membership of NATO, but such a plan needs to be put to a national referendum, according to Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy's message comes as the Russian invasion of Ukraine entered its second month, displacing millions of people and causing at least 1,119 civilian deaths, according to a United Nations tally released Sunday. Russian forces have also suffered a large number of casualties and their advance on Ukraine's capital Kyiv has stalled in the face of fierce resistance. Russian authorities banned local media from reporting on the interview, which was conducted in Russian. Zelenskyy said Russian forces need to pull out of Ukraine first, saying "a national referendum cannot take place in the presence of foreign military forces." Ukraine will not seek to reclaim by force areas in the Donbas region controlled by pro-Russian separatists nor would it attempt to reclaim by force Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, he said. The president suggested the possibility of putting that into writing, as well as readiness to renounce the development of nuclear weapons. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is not discussing the possibility of demilitarization, another of Russia's demands. Turkey said Sunday that the cease-fire talks will take place in Istanbul following a phone conversation between its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian government said the talks will be held in person. Related coverage: Biden slams Putin as he rallies free world to support Ukraine's fight G-7 to tackle Russia sanctions evasion as invasion marks 1 month U.N. assembly calls for protection of civilians in war-torn Ukraine KYODO NEWS - Mar 28, 2022 - 21:45 | All, World, Japan Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is planning to attend a meeting in Brussels with his counterparts from countries belonging to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its partners in early April, sources with knowledge of the matter said Monday. Hayashi aims to affirm increased coordination with NATO over Russia's invasion of Ukraine through means such as the enforcement of sanctions on Moscow and the hosting of evacuees from the Eastern European country, according to the sources. Besides Japan, foreign ministers from NATO partner nations such as South Korea and Australia are expected to take part in the gathering, the sources said, adding that Hayashi is considering meeting bilaterally with other participants. Top diplomats to attend the upcoming meeting are expected to warn Russia not to use chemical, biological and nuclear weapons in Ukraine, the sources said, amid growing concerns over such threats as Russian forces' advances on Kyiv and other cities have stalled in the face of fierce resistance since the invasion began on Feb. 24. China's increasing military activities in the East and South China seas as well as waters nearby Taiwan are also likely to be among the topics, with Japan to press for enhanced vigilance over North Korea's missile and nuclear activities, according to the sources. In a summit last Thursday, NATO leaders agreed to boost security assistance to Ukraine so as to better help the country defend itself from Russia's aggression. The leaders also called on China to "abstain from supporting Russia's war effort in any way, and to refrain from any action that helps Russia circumvent sanctions" in a statement issued after the summit. Fiona Pan (L), Huawei Kenya Deputy CEO for Public Affairs and Jerome Ochieng (R), ICT Principal Secretary, signed documents for the training of 20,000 Kenyans on ICT in Nairobi on March 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Charles Onyango) Kenya and Huawei have signed an agreement that seeks to train 20,000 Kenyans, including public officers, on ICT in an effort to boost the East African nation's capacity in the ICT sector. NAIROBI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and Huawei on Friday signed an agreement to boost the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capacity in the country. Joe Mucheru, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs said in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, that under the agreement, a total of 20,000 Kenyans will receive training including 12,500 civil servants over the next three years. "We appreciate the commitment and support provided by Huawei not only to developing Kenya's ICT infrastructure but also in elevating ICT skills across various levels," Mucheru said during a ceremony where 12 civil servants were awarded for their outstanding performance in the Huawei capacity building program. An official of Huawei Enterprise Business Group (L, Front) presented an award to a student during the national awards ceremony for finalists in the Huawei ICT competition in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Jan. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Charles Onyango) Since 2020, Huawei has trained 1,500 civil servants on various aspects of ICT. He observed that the Huawei training program is the largest of its kind in the country's history and is akin to the software development part of ICT capacity building. Under the deal, Huawei Kenya Engineering Training Academy will become an authorized training center for ICT skills. Mucheru said that the pact with the Chinese technology firm follows the country's commitment to increase the number of services that Kenyans can access online in a bid to ease public services and information provision. Will Meng, CEO of Huawei Kenya said that combining the capabilities of the private sector with those of the public sector has proven to be a successful approach to unlocking the country's potential. "We believe that providing training to public officers in the use of technology is essential in enforcing many small improvements that have substantial impacts, therefore unlocking the potential of governments," Meng said. ACCRA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced the re-opening of land and sea borders and the lifting of most of the COVID-19 restrictions. In his 28th nationwide COVID-19 address late Sunday, the president said the decision was made after reviewing the raft of measures put in place to help win the fight against the virus, against the background of rapidly declining infections, and the relative success of the vaccination campaign by the Ghana Health Service. "From Monday, the wearing of face masks is no longer mandatory," Akufo-Addo said. "I encourage all of you to continue to maintain enhanced hand hygiene practices and avoid overcrowded gatherings." All in-person activities, including religious gatherings, conferences, workshops, and funerals, may resume at full capacity, as long as the audience and participants are fully vaccinated, but hand washing and hand sanitizing points should be made available, the president said. "Fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed entry through the land and sea borders without a negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test result from the country of origin," he said. "It has been a difficult two years, and we see light at the end of a very long tunnel. I appeal to all of us to live responsibly, protect ourselves, and do everything we can to stay safe as we lift these restrictions," Akufo-Addo said. By Trend Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Fariz Rzayev made a working visit to Qatars Doha from March 25 through March 28, 2022, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. While in Qatar, Rzayev participated in a forum, where he spoke about the results of the 44-day second Karabakh war, the constructive position of Azerbaijan in the post-conflict period, de-mining and construction work carried out in the Azerbaijani liberated territories from Armenian occupation, the ministry noted. In Qatar, Rzayev also met with State Minister for Foreign Affairs of this country, Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi. Directions for the development of bilateral relations between the countries were discussed during the meeting. Rzayev also visited a branch of Georgetown University in Doha, met with the leadership of the The Center for International and Regional Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar. The directions of development of relations between the university and Azerbaijan were discussed at the meeting. DUBLIN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Ireland has recorded a rapid recovery in the number of overseas passengers in February, following the country's lifting of COVID-19 travel restrictions. A total of 787,300 overseas passengers arrived in Ireland in February, up over 34 percent and 1,300 percent respectively when compared with January 2022 and February 2021, said the country's Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Monday. Nevertheless, the February 2022 figure is still 35.2 percent lower than that recorded in the pre-pandemic February 2020 when more than 1.21 million overseas passengers arrived in Ireland, it said. In January 2022, there were 584,100 overseas passenger arrivals in Ireland while in February 2021 there were only 54,800 overseas passenger arrivals in the country, said the CSO. Ireland reported its first COVID-19 case at the end of February 2020 and its tourism sector started to feel the bite of the pandemic as more and more travel restrictions were imposed across the world, resulting in a sharp drop in the number of overseas visitors to the country. Tourism is a pillar industry of Ireland. In 2019, nearly 9.7 million people visited Ireland from overseas, bringing in over 5.1 billion euros (5.6 billion U.S. dollars) for its hospitality sector, according to Tourism Ireland. Earlier this month, the Irish government removed all the COVID-19 restrictions regarding travel to Ireland. UNITED NATIONS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday called for the lifting of sanctions against Sudan as soon as possible. Following the withdrawal of the United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region, the Sudanese authorities have assumed the primary responsibility of protecting civilians. It is, therefore, urgent to strengthen its security capacity, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. "The arms embargo has negative impacts on Sudan's security capacity-building. The Security Council should adjust the sanction measures timely in light of the changed situation." Security Council Resolution 2620 adopted last month requires the development of benchmarks for adjusting Sudan sanctions by Aug. 31 this year. China hopes that this requirement can be effectively implemented, he told the council. It must be noted that unilateral sanctions are barriers to Susan's development. Unilateral sanctions often fail to solve problems, but may well create new troubles, worsening the food, energy, and economic crisis and harming Sudanese people's livelihoods and causing new humanitarian consequences, said Dai. He called on the relevant country to change course and try to treat other countries as equals and work together for win-win results. YEREVAN, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Armenian defense ministry on Monday denied the alleged transfer of its warplanes to Russia for military operations in Ukraine. The ministry said in a statement on its website that the reports from some foreign media which claimed that Armenia had transferred four SU-30 aircraft to Russia for military operations in Ukraine were false. "This information is a total lie," said the ministry, adding that all aircraft of Armenia's armed forces, with their personnel, are stationed in their locations. Meanwhile, in the statement, the ministry also denied the report that it had a role in transferring some Syrian mercenaries to Ukraine to fight for Russia. BISHKEK, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan has recorded seven deaths from COVID-19 over the past week, bringing the total fatalities to 2,973, the Republican Headquarters for Combating COVID-19 reported Monday. All of the victims were not vaccinated, the headquarters said. Meanwhile, 11 new COVID-19 cases were reported over the past 24 hours, taking the countrywide caseload to 200,742, while no new deaths were reported. Kyrgyzstan launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on March 29 last year after the arrival of China-donated vaccines. It is also inoculating its citizens with the Sputnik-V, Sputnik Light, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. A total of 1,464,607 people have been vaccinated in the country so far, and 1,207,802 of them have received both shots and 137,549 have received boosters. MOSCOW, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The Russian and Ukrainian delegations will likely meet in Turkey on Tuesday, the Kremlin said Monday. "The very fact that it was decided to continue in-person negotiations is important," local media reported, citing Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "Today, the delegation is leaving for Turkey... we expect that theoretically, talks could continue tomorrow," he said, adding that the negotiations would unlikely resume today. Peskov noted that while face-to-face negotiations are more focused, and both sides can cover more issues, there are still no clear signs of a breakthrough. Meanwhile, David Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, told Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Monday that the next round of peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will start on Tuesday in Turkey. The start of the negotiations has been postponed due to logistics issues, he added. On Sunday, Arakhamia wrote on Facebook that the talks will take place in Turkey on March 28-30. The Ukrainian and Russian delegations have held three rounds of negotiations in person in Belarus since Feb. 28, and the fourth one started on March 14 in the format of a video conference. Parsa, March 28 Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepals Chair Kamal Thapa has insisted that there is no possibility of reviving the monarchy in Nepal now. Addressing a press conference organised by RPP Nepal in Birgunj today, Thapa said the political change over the last 15 years and the former kings vile thinking towards the political parties have negated any prospects for the reinstatement of the monarchy in Nepal. Since his failure in the Rastriya Prajatantra Partys general convention to become the chairman again in December 2021, Thapa, one of the most outspoken royalists of recent times, had been accusing former king Gyanendra Shah of launching a conspiracy to defeat him. Ultimately, he had left the party to reestablish the dormant group. The RPP Nepal chairman today said, Although it is the political parties and the people of Nepal who revive the monarchy, there is no such possibility as the former king has been expressing his views only spread revulsion towards the parties. According to him, he had to take a new course because the former king and his secretariat interfered in the RPP, the only party advocating for the reinstatement of the monarchy. Home Just In Nepal writers embrace poetry recitation, with music, more than writing books A week back, the new hall of Kathmandus Mandala Theatre witnessed something different from its regular theatrical shows. It was definitely a performing art but also something that usually does not take place in theatres. The duo of poet Sudip Bhattarai, popularly known as Nadeesh, and musician Rhythm Kandel carried out a musical poetry recitation session. Nadeesh and Kandel were seated under the yellowish light. As Kandel softly strummed a chord in his wooden-colour acoustic guitar, Nadeesh began reciting the first poem of the show, entitled Nisto Chiya. The event was unusual for the theatre, but poetry recitation is gradually taking momentum in Kathmandu and other cities of Nepal of late. Whereas traditional means of poetrymainly printed anthologiesonly communicate what of poetry, poets and poem reciters say recitation events mean more as they gather art enthusiasts and allow both writers and readers to interact. Strongest medium of expression Nadeesh (l) recites and Rhythm Kandel plays music during a poetry recitation event, in Kathmandu, in March 2022. Photo: Saguna Shah Almost a decade ago, when poet Ujjwala Maharjan started doing live poetry shows, there were not many platforms for it. Maharjan, in her own initiative and some like-minded people, has done poetry recitation and workshops outside Kathmandu as well, in places such as Pokhara and Dhangadhi. But, today, the situation has changed. Maharjan who is active in popularising recitation events in Nepal says such events have their own charm. Poetry recitation is one of the strongest mediums for educating and making people aware and storytelling, says Maharjan, One can express their bottled-up feelings and stories comprehensively through it. She believes the easy access to digital platforms is also helping the culture of poetry recitation in Nepal to grow. Among various platforms that feature poetry recited, Unspoken Poetry on YouTube has been garnering noteworthy recognition lately. The channel came into operation a year ago and now it has over 200,000 views, a decent number for a non-pop-culture art channel from Nepal. The quality content, sound and videos are the reasons that are drawing a wide attention of people in poetry recitation, says Roshan Shrestha, the founder at Unspoken Poetry. As informed by Shrestha, mainly the youth are interested in reciting poems through his YouTube Channel. Poetry recitation: Meditation plus music Representational photo: Wikimedia Commons Recent poetry recitation events in Kathmandu do not only include recitation; there happens music too. As poets recite their work, musicians play ragas on their guitar, keyboard and other instruments. Musician Rhythm Kandel, who frequently plays for poetry these days, takes recitation as a new approach to connect the words and music. Poetry recitation is an art that makes the word and poem more beautiful and feelable, says Kandel. According to him, most of the attendees of live poetry events are literature enthusiasts and intellectuals. He has seen everyone from a school kid to elderly citizens attending the shows. To play music for poetry is something different from what he has been doing regularly. However, it has been very productive for him. Playing music in poetry shows has enhanced my musical sense and ability to understand words and lyrics, says Kandel. While being asked about the role of music in poetry recitation, he says, I have heard from a lot of the audience that music adds a life to poetry. I totally agree with them. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is one of the two smartphones launched during the Galaxy A event a few days ago. It means the phone shall arrive in the Nepali market within the next few weeks. This is a mid-range offering from Samsung and is the successor of last years Samsung Galaxy A52 5G. This device offers a new and efficient chipset, a better battery backup, and features the latest Android 12. However, the phone is priced at a quite high point, and it may be detrimental to the brands market here. Lets get into the details of the phone. Specifications Dimension Height: 159.6mm Width: 74.8mm Thickness: 8.1mm Weight: 189 grams Display 6.5-inch Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 405ppi Sim Hybrid dual sims Resolution 1,080*2,400 pixels OS Android 12, One UI 4.1 Chipset Exynos 1280 5G, 5nm GPU Mali-G68 Storage 128GB/256GB SD card slot Yes RAM 6GB/8GB Camera Front: 32MP, f/2.2 Rear: 64MP, f/1.8, PDAF, OIS 12MP, 123 degrees (Ultrawide) 5MP, f/2.4 (Macro) 5MP, f/2.4 (Depth) Sound Loudspeakers No 3.5mm headphone jack Battery 5000mAh, li-po, non-removable Fast charging 25W Sensors Accelerometer Side-mounted fingerprint sensor Gyro sensor Geomagnetic sensor Sensor virtual proximity Colours Black, white, blue, peach Price (Expected) Rs 55,500 Design and display Photo: Samsung Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has a similar build to that of Galaxy A52 5G. The phone has a glass front, plastic build and a plastic frame build. Nothing much changed in the design as well. The front is a punch-hole display in the middle and the back houses a similar design camera module. However, the change has been made in the fingerprint sensor. There is a side-mounted fingerprint sensor instead of the in-display one seen last year. This is a bit upsetting as the in-display fingerprint sensor gives more of a premium feel than the side-mounted one. The phone weighs around 189 grams and is 8.1mm thick. Photo: Samsung Samsung Galaxy A53 5G features a 6.5-inch, Super AMOLED panel that supports a 120Hz refresh rate and has a resolution of 1,080*2,400 pixels. The 120Hz display is the same found in last years model but it is really a useful feature for the users, especially during gaming and video streaming. The display on the phone has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Furthermore, the phone also has an IP67 certification for water and dust (up to 1m for 30 mins). Cameras Photo: Samsung Nothing much has changed in terms of the camera as well. The new Samsung Galaxy A53 5G features the same 64MP quad-camera setup on the back with a single selfie camera on the front. This phone has a similar 64MP main camera on the back accompanied by a 12MP, 123 degrees ultrawide and a couple of 5MP macro and depth sensors. On the front, there is a 32MP selfie shooter offering a massive resolution for selfie photos and videos. The main camera on the phone features optical image stabilisation (OIS) and phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) for faster and sharper images and videos. Samsung usually offers natural photos and videos and this is one of the best camera phones in this segment. Photo: Samsung As for the video, both back and front cameras can record videos in 4K resolution. However, the video is limited to 30fps only and also only the rear camera has image stabilisation, so you should expect more shaky videos if you are shooting from the front camera. Performance and storage Samsung Galaxy A53 5G runs on OneUI 4.1 based on Android 12. Though it is not revealed officially, various sources claim that the phone is powered by Samsungs own Exynos 1280 5G (5nm) chipset. When the phone will be officially released locally, the users will be able to know how much of an impact this chipset has made on the phone over Qualcomms Snapdragon 750 5G chipset which was used last year. Photo: Samsung Samsung Galaxy A53 5G comes with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. The storage can be expanded up to 1TB with the use of a microSD card. There is no dedicated slot for the card but the phone also offers a shared slot for it. Battery life, connectivity and other features Photo: Samsung Samsung Galaxy A53 5G features a 5,000mAH non-removable Li-po battery, an improvement from last years 4500mAh. However, it uses the same 25W fast charger this time as well. Photo: Samsung Connectivity options on the phone include a 5G network, dual-band Wifi, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS and USB Type-C 2.0. Like Samsung Galaxy A33 5G, this phone is also NFC enabled, but this feature is only available in certain regions. The sensors on the phone include an accelerometer, fingerprint sensor, gyro sensor, geomagnetic sensor, hall sensor, light sensor and virtual proximity sensing. Photo: Samsung Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has dual speakers with Dolby Atmos, but there is no inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is priced at EUR 449. There is no official announcement of the release of the phone in Nepal yet. But when the phone is released in Nepal, one can expect the starting price of Rs 55,500. Verdict Photo: Samsung Well, the competition in the smartphone market in Nepal is growing intense and the price is increasing. With the given pricing, Samsung Galaxy A53 5G may find tough competition here for the market rights. There are no major changes on the phone compared to its predecessor. It features a new and more power-efficient chipset, but it is not sure if that justifies the increase in the price of the phone. The latest release from OnePlus, OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G should also impose a great threat to Samsung Galaxy A53 5G in terms of market share as OnePlus has a good number of followers here in Nepal. Even Realme GT Neo 2 will still pose a threat as it was arguably the best premium mid-range smartphone launched last year. Samsung, however, has the upper hand in terms of UI and OS though. Samsung phones offer simple and neat UI, which can be an attractive factor for buyers. Then, again, a huge increase in the price will definitely be a major factor in influencing the purchase of the new Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone. For sure, everyone will only know how the phone will fare once it is released. Adocia SA The Company announces the sale of its building in Lyon in a sale and leaseback transaction worth over 20 million euros This transaction results in a net cash inflow of 19 million euros and is accompanied by the signature of a 12-year firm renewable lease With this non-dilutive transaction, Adocia has today a cash position of 28 million euros LYON, France, March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adocia (Euronext Paris : FR0011184241 ADOC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of therapeutic solutions for the treatment of diabetes and other metabolic diseases, announced today the completion of the sale of its laboratory and office complex located in Lyon, France to a specialized investor. This financial transaction results in the sale of the building for more than 20 million euros and the signature of a long-term lease. We are very pleased to have significantly strengthened our financial resources without diluting our shareholders, said Gerard Soula, Chairman and CEO of Adocia. We expect 2022 to be a pivotal year for Adocia with important milestones in our major programs. The Company is selling its headquarter - acquired in 2016 - to a well-known and AMF1 approved Asset Management Company with a portfolio exceeding 1.4 billion. Concomitantly to the sale, the parties signed a lease allowing Adocia to continue to occupy the building over the long term. The lease is for a firm term of 12 years, with an option to renew for nine additional years. "Thanks to this real estate transaction, we have an additional 19 million euros of cash while reducing our debt. This is being done without significant additional operating costs and without any impact on operations and work of our teams," added Valerie Danaguezian, Chief Financial Officer of Adocia. As a result of this transaction, the rent due by the Company will be of a similar amount and will replace the repayment of the debts that were contracted to finance the purchase of the building in 2016, and which have been fully repaid today as part of the sale transaction. Story continues _______________ 1 French Securities Regulator About Adocia Adocia is a biotechnology company specializing in the discovery and development of therapeutic solutions in the field of metabolic diseases, primarily diabetes and obesity. The company has a broad portfolio of drug candidates based on three proprietary technology platforms: 1) The BioChaperone technology for the development of new generation insulins and products combining insulins with other classes of hormones ; 2) An oral peptide delivery technology; 3) An immunoprotective biomaterial for cell transplantation with a first application in pancreatic cells transplantation for patients with so-called "brittle" diabetes Adocia holds more than 25 patent families and was ranked 4th and 7th in the French National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) ranking of SMEs on the number of patents filed, in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Based in Lyon, the company has approximately 125 employees. Adocia is listed on the Euronext Paris market (Euronext: ADOC; ISIN: FR0011184241). Contact Adocia Gerard Soula CEO contactinvestisseurs@adocia.com Tel : +33 4 72 610 610 www.adocia.com Ulysse Communication Adocia Press and Investors Relations Pierre-Louis Germain plgermain@ulysse-communication.com / + 33 (0)6 64 79 97 51 Margaux Puech Pays dAlissac mpuech@ulysse-communication.com / +33 (0)7 86 16 01 09 Bruno Arabian barabian@ulysse-communication.com / +33 (0)6 87 88 47 26 Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Adocia and its business. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Adocia considers as being reasonable. However, there can be no guarantee that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be achieved, as such estimates are subject to numerous risks including those which are set forth in the Risk Factors section of the universal registration document that was filed with the French Autorite des marches financiers on April 20, 2021 (a copy of which is available at www.adocia.com), in particular uncertainties that are linked to research and development, future clinical data, analyses, and the evolution of the economic context, the financial markets and the markets in which Adocia operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Adocia or not considered as material by Adocia as of this day. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause that actual results, financial conditions, performances, or achievements of Adocia be materially different from those mentioned in the forward-looking statements. This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy Adocias shares in any jurisdiction. BARCELONA, Spain, March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The leading platform for the food industry, food service, catering and hospitality equipment will return to Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue from 4th to 7th April 2022 with a sharp international focus. Alimentaria & Hostelco will be attended by nearly 3,000 companies, 400 of which will come from 52 countries. Alimentaria & Hostelco showcase the potential for exports of the Spanish food industry Despite the limitations that continue to exist in numerous markets and the instability of the international context, Spain's food sector continues to increase its exports, surpassing its highs in 2021 with business totalling 38,202 million euros. However, the sector is taking on the permanent challenge of opening up new markets and increasing sales, in which Alimentaria & Hostelco excels as the spearhead of this strategy. This year, the international companies attending the show will occupy more than 15,000 m (18%) of the total surface area of 85,000 m. More specifically, there will be 400 companies from 52 countries, 200 of which will be visiting the event for the first time. The International Pavilions area will house the majority of the foreign firms grouped together by countries, including Brazil, Slovakia, Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Puerto Rico, which will be participating for the first time. The other participating countries will include Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Indonesia, Poland, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Belgium and Argentina. We should highlight the cases of Greece and Turkey, which have hired twice as much space as last time. Similarly, with the aim of continuing to enhance the commercial relationship with foreign companies, 1,400 buyers from 68 countries have been invited and more than 12,500 business meetings are expected to be held with Alimentaria & Hostelco exhibitors. Priority has been given this year to the European, North American and Latin American markets to attract buyers. Thus, the countries with the most guests this year will be the United States, India, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Chile, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Canada, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. Fira_Barcelona_Logo SOURCE Fira de Barcelona By Azernews By Sabina Mammadli Azerbaijan's journalist organizations have stated that by blocking Russian-language media, including Azerbaijani news portals, Roskomnadzor violates the principles of freedom of speech and pluralism, as well as acts against democracy. The local journalist organizations made the remarks in an appeal t0 relevant Russian state agencies and the international media community. Access blocked The Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) has blocked access to Azerbaijani Russian-language websites - oxu.az, haqqin.az, and minval.az - on Russian Federation territory. This decision was made without any prior notice to the editorial offices. The list will likely grow in the coming days. Roskomnadzor refuses to provide an official explanation for the decision to block Azerbaijani media. These media outlets are known to regularly disseminate information about the Russian-Ukrainian war, including Russia's violations of international norms during the war, the appeal said. According to the appeal, Azerbaijani media outlets base their information policy on reality, citing reports from legitimate international organizations, including official bodies, observing the Russian-Ukrainian war. The Russian side should not be concerned about the appearance of realities in the media, and should not express its concern by blocking social media platforms and restricting media outlets' operation, added the appeal. Right to know truth The statement noted that people, including the Russian-speaking population, have a fundamental right to know the truth. Furthermore, the organization recalled that the Azerbaijani government did not obstruct Russian media access when it was critical to its security, even during the 44-day Second Karabakh War. According to the appeal, despite the fact that the majority of Russian media were at the forefront during the 44-day war, they waged an information war against Azerbaijan. "We, the Azerbaijani journalists' organizations, appeal to Roskomnadzor to reconsider their erroneous decisions and lift the restrictions placed on the Azerbaijani media. At the same time, we call on the international media community to show solidarity to stop Russia's wrong, anti-democratic steps," the statement concluded. The statement was signed by Trade Union of Journalists Chairman Mushfig Alasgarli, International Eurasian Press Foundation Chairman Umud Rahimoglu, and Chairman of the League of Democratic Journalists Yadigar Mammadli, Ayaz Mirzayev of the Azerbaijan Journalists Network, Elshad Eyvazli of the Union of Parliamentary Journalists (Neutral Journalists Public Union), Fazil Abbasov of the Association of Journalists of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Public Union, Jasarat Huseynzade of the Support to Information Initiatives Public Union, CASCFEN (Central Asia-South Caucasus Freedom of Speech Network) Chairman Nadir Azeri, Seymur Verdizade of the Center for Journalistic Research, and Khalid Kazimov of the Regional Center for Human Rights and Media Public Union. Press Council Meanwhile, the national Press Council stated that Azerbaijans objective position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict does not satisfy Moscow. "In Russia, a number of Azerbaijani news websites are blocked. The reason for this is that Azerbaijani media reports on Ukraine and their objective position do not satisfy Russia," the council said. It emphasized that Russia clearly disregards freedom of speech and pluralism. This is an incorrect approach to international principles, norms, and universal human values. The council stated that this approach restricts Russian society's ability to receive objective information and get acquainted with alternative opinions. "Russia's approach to the Azerbaijani media is disrespectful to the two countries' relations, the historically established traditions of friendship and cooperation between the Russian and Azerbaijani peoples, and the process of information exchange," the statement stated. Furthermore, the message stated that this policy cannot be interpreted as the state's desire to clear its information space of extraneous elements because the Azerbaijani media does not violate freedom of speech and expression in any way. On the other hand, it approaches the war through the lens of occupation, as Azerbaijan has been under occupation for nearly 30 years. Addressing the media community and progressive Russian circles, the press council calls for an objective assessment of the fact that Azerbaijani media is being blocked on Russian Federation territory. The statement expressed the hope that Russian society will respond appropriately to this situation and will not question the positive dynamics of relations between the two countries, as well as trends that are contrary to the principles of good neighborliness. NEW YORK, March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The corporate training market share in Europe is expected to grow by USD 14.06 billion between 2020 and 2025, expanding at a CAGR of over 8% during the forecast period. The report offers detailed insights on the market size, current market scenario, and the factors that will challenge the growth of the market. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Corporate Training Market in Europe by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025 Download a Free Sample Report now to know more about the report coverage. The market is fragmented due to the presence of several regional and global market vendors. Technavio identifies Articulate Global Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., City and Guilds Group, D2L Corp., GP Strategies Corp., John Wiley and Sons Inc., Learning Technologies Group Plc, Miller Heiman Group Inc., and Skillsoft Ltd. as some of the major players in the market. Although the digitization of learning materials, the growth of small and medium-sized businesses, and the emergence of cost-effective e-learning training modules will offer immense growth opportunities. The impact of COVID-19 on corporates, the lack of effective metrics, and the increasing competition from the unorganized sector will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Corporate Training Market in Europe 2021-2025: Segmentation Corporate Training Market in Europe is segmented as below: Product Geography The technical courses segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2021. The need to continuously stay updated on the latest technologies is driving the growth of the segment. Besides, the increasing demand for technical courses from the automotive, oil and gas, and manufacturing sectors is contributing to the growth of the segment. By geography, the market will observe maximum growth in the Western Europe region during the forecast period. The increasing number of government initiatives to enhance the technical and non-technical skill levels of employees is driving the growth of the regional market. In addition, factors such as increased adoption of social learning, the advent of knowledge-sharing platforms, and the proliferation of start-ups that offer training to employees will further drive the growth of the corporate training market in Europe. Story continues Our corporate training market in Europe report covers the following areas: Corporate Training Market in Europe 2021-2025: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the corporate training market in Europe. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research report on the Corporate Training Market in Europe is designed to provide entry support, customer profile, and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Subscribe to our "Lite Plan" billed annually at USD 3000 which enables you to download 3 reports/year and view 3 reports/month. Corporate Training Market in Europe 2021-2025: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2021-2025 Detailed information on factors that will assist corporate training market growth in Europe during the next five years Estimation of the corporate training market size in Europe and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the corporate training market in Europe Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of corporate training market vendors in Europe Related Reports: Corporate M-Learning Market by Type and Geography Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 Corporate Blended Learning Market by End-user and Geography Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 Corporate Training Market in Europe Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 8% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 14.06 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 7.00 Regional analysis Western Europe, Nordic Countries, Southern Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe Performing market contribution Western Europe at 34% Key consumer countries Western Europe, Nordic Countries, Southern Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Adobe Inc., Articulate Global Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., City and Guilds Group, D2L Corp., GP Strategies Corp., John Wiley and Sons Inc., Learning Technologies Group Plc, Miller Heiman Group Inc., and Skillsoft Ltd. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Table Of Contents : Executive Summary Market overview Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2020 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020-2025 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Product Market segments Comparison by Product Technical courses - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Non technical courses - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Market opportunity by Product Customer Landscape Overview Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison Western Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Nordic Countries - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Southern Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Central and Eastern Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Market opportunity by geography Drivers, Challenges, and Trends Market drivers Market challenges Impact of drivers and challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Overview Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors Adobe Inc. Articulate Global Inc. Cisco Systems Inc. City and Guilds Group D2L Corp. GP Strategies Corp. John Wiley and Sons Inc. Learning Technologies Group Plc Miller Heiman Group Inc. Skillsoft Ltd. Appendix Scope of the report Inclusions and exclusions checklist Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Technavio (PRNewsfoto/Technavio) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/corporate-training-market-size-in-europe-to-grow-by-usd-14-06-billion--technical-courses-segment-to-offer-maximum-opportunities--technavio-301510871.html SOURCE Technavio Danish Aerospace Company A/S COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT Odense, March 28th, 2022 Company Announcement no. 34 - 28.03.2022 Danish Aerospace Company A/S issues Annual Report for 2021 The Board of Directors of Danish Aerospace Company A/S (DAC) have today approved the audited annual report for 2021. Key points from the 2021 Annual Report Revenue totalled DKK 20.4 million. Profit before EBITDA amounts to DKK 2.2 million. DACs equity amounts to DKK 19.7 million as of December 31 st, 2021. DACs cash flow was significantly strengthened in 2021. The company has delivered 2 flight models of FERGO space ergometer to NASA. NASA has placed an order for an additional FERGO ergometer. DACs contract for development of a combined E4D exercise equipment for ESA has been expanded with additional requirements and functionalities. Furthermore, ESA has placed an order for an additional E4D flight model including spare parts. DAC has completed its participation in NORDIN 2020 cohort project to explore the potential for cooperation regarding wearables- and space technology in India. This has given rise to new cooperation opportunities which will now be explored further. The revenue and profit have, in 2021, in some degree, been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which created delays in certain projects with subsequent shifting of revenue and profit from 2021 to 2022. Danish Aerospace Companys expectations for 2022 are a revenue of DKK 24-27 million and operating profit (EBITDA) of approx. DKK 3-4 million. DAC realized earnings from operations before depreciations and amortization (EBITDA), of DDK 2.2 million. Earnings before tax were DKK 0.4 million. The Companys equity amounts to DKK 19.7 million as of December 31st, 2021. The companys revenue decreased a little in 2021 to DKK 20.4 million, which primarily is caused by delays in activities and incoming contracts. In the light of COVID-19, Management finds it very satisfactory that it again has not lost a single order during this time, except the subcontract due to the Ohmatex bankruptcy, which did not have a notable impact. The annual results, however, have still been affected by delays due to the pandemic, which specifically has caused part of the revenue, approx. DKK 1.7 million including earnings of DKK 0.8 million to be pushed into 2022. Story continues The development of NASAs new FERGO ergometer, of E4D and other contracts, continued overall according to plan, however, with minor delays. During the year, the company has shipped two complete FERGO flight models to NASA of which the first is scheduled to launch for the International Space Station in late spring. Furthermore, NASA has ordered a third flight model of the FERGO ergometer. ESA has substantially expanded the E4D contract during the year; firstly, with the incorporation of extra requirements and functions on E4D and new software tools, and later, with the order of an additional E4D flight model including spare parts. Sales initiatives and business development activities have, in the first three quarters, been significantly affected by COVID-19, however, they have begun to slowly increase in the last quarter. This caused a natural delay of the companys business development activities in the years first half. Despite this, DAC has still seen a solid increase of new contracts, contract extensions and additions to existing development- and service contracts. The thriving development on the commercial manned space market, especially in the US with the suborbital manned flights and plans for commercial space stations and space station models, creates a breeding ground for a growing potential market for the companys exercise-, health monitoring- and wearable technologies. Danish Aerospace Company has in 2021 completed its participation in the NORDIN 2020 Cohort project, to explore the possibilities for cooperation within wearables- and space technology in India. This has provided new collaboration opportunities which will now be pursued further, when circumstances allows. In line with the companys strategy for developing wearable technologies for extreme environments on Earth, DAC has received support from the European Defense Industrial Development program 2020 (EDIDP) for participation in the CUIIS project (Comprehensive Underwater Intervention Information System) along with companies and research institutions from six other countries. The project will develop under water technologies with sensors-, monitoring- and control systems for military divers. The project kickstarts in 2022. Shortly before the end of the year, the company in cooperation with its joint-venture Aquaporin Space Alliance ApS (ASA), received a letter of support from ESAs GSTP (General Support Technology Program) to develop a full prototype of future water purification systems for space called WRU - Water Recovery Unit. This activity is expected to kick off in 2022. Again, this year, the company passed the regular audit of the companys AS/EN9100 standard, rev. D quality control system by Bureau Veritas and are thus still one of the very few space companies in Denmark with this certification. Expectations for the 2022 fiscal year. DAC expects higher revenue and operating profit in 2022. The company is working determinedly with new internal development projects for promising areas within space travel and the commercial market for extreme environments. Delays on components and materials could affect development in 2022, primarily with certain activities being delayed due to delivery due to longer lead times. Danish Aerospace Companys expectations for 2022 are: Revenue of DKK 24-27 million; and Operating profit (EBITDA) of approx. DKK 3-4 million. DACs Annual Meeting will take place on April 27th, 2022. DAC expects to publish its interim report for 2022 on August 29th, 2022. Attached file: DAC Annual Report 2021. (Colour version) The final annual report for 2021 will be available on the companys website by April 27th, 2022, via the link below: Annual Reports - Danish Aerospace Company For further information, please contact: Danish Aerospace Company A/S: Chairman of the Board of Directors Niels Heering Mobil: +45 40 17 75 31 CEO Thomas A.E. Andersen Mobil: +45 40 29 41 62 Certified Adviser: Gert Mortensen, Partner Baker Tilly Corporate Finance P/S Tel.: +45 33 45 10 00 www.bakertilly.dk About Danish Aerospace Company A/S: Danish Aerospace Company is a high-tech company operating in the area of advanced medical instrumentation and other engineering fields primarily within space applications. Our products are based on many years of specialized research and development. These consist of developing, integrating, and applying new as well as established medical technologies to the challenges of functioning and remaining reliable in space. These products and services bring the potential of space research and experience from space operations down to Earth for the benefit of all Mankind. Danish Aerospace Company employs engineers and technicians who deliver full engineering, production and technical services for our customers. We have specialized in customer specific design, development, manufacturing, certification, maintenance, testing, and operations. The company has developed five generations respiratory equipment for spaceflight, bicycle ergometers for astronauts, countermeasures, adapted several commercial medical equipment for spaceflight and has participated in the development of the minus eighty-degree Celsius freezers. The Companys quality system is certified in obligation to BS EN ISO 9001:2015, BS EN 9100:2018 technical equivalent to AS9100D that is the acknowledged standard in the area. Note: This is a translation of the corresponding Company Announcement in Danish. In case of discrepancies between the Danish wording and the English translation, the Danish wording prevails. Attachment The acquisition is an essential part of Dstny's strategy in business integrations; accelerating how business value and innovation is added to Microsoft Teams users BRUSSELS, March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dstny, the European provider of cloud-based Business Communication solutions, announces the acquisition of the leading UK-based Microsoft Teams integration specialist Qunifi. Qunifi's Call2Teams platform is the global leader in Teams integration for UCaaS providers. Their service spans the globe with end customers in over 100 countries and organizations with over 2 Million Teams users relying upon Qunifi for their daily communications. Key profiles from left: Mark Herbert, Richard Carver, Jeannie Arthur, Patrik Sorqvist "We are always looking for talented companies that fit with our strategy and company culture and which we can help grow faster at the same time. This acquisition of Qunifi is a perfect example of that", says Daan De Wever CEO of the Dstny Group. "The Call2Teams platform was 'born in the cloud,' just like us, and it's a state of the art technology with a native integration which means an incredible user experience, concludes De Wever." Qunifi will become part of the Dstny for Service Provider organization and the team and management will be integrated within the Dstny Group. Joining the Dstny Group will enhance business opportunities, drive new product development, and accelerate growth for service provider customers, partners and both the Dstny and Qunifi teams. "We are proud and excited to become part of the Dstny group", adds Jeannie Arthur, CEO of Qunifi. "We will be in a great position to continue to support and grow the relationships with our existing partners, accelerate product development and innovation, and remain at the cutting edge of digitalized business integrations." Dstny and Qunifi will align their roadmaps, so our respective partners and service providers get access to more innovative products. Support for third party Cloud PBX solutions remains in focus and is aligned with Dstny's strategy. "Our partners will continue to be managed by the Qunifi team as before and as part of the Dstny Group, the additional group resources will allow us to focus on growth" Story continues In Business communications, much like in other industries, individuals, teams and organizations of every size expect to be able to select the products that fit their individual needs and for these products to then work seamlessly together. "Within the Dstny Group, it is our ambition to play well with others; to make it easy for our service providers to access to new innovations that provide value to their end users. In addition to the value we see in Call2Teams, we also see significant synergies between Qunifi's recently announced Carrier Automate proposition and our existing Service provider business where Qunifi's automation of the Microsoft Integration complements Dstny's FMC technology for mobile operators", concludes Patrik Sorqvist, COO of the Dstny Group. For further information Christian Hed, CMO Dstny, christian.hed@dstny.com, +46856269603 About Dstny Dstny is a leading European provider of cloud-based Business Communications. The company aims to simplify the everyday lives of more than 2,2 million users today: the interactive tools in Business Communications are delivered asa-service and bring employees and customers together across all communication formats (voice, video, chat, and other). The Dstny tools are natively mobile-first, locally adaptable, easy to use, and easy to integrate, for companies, partners, and service providers. By combining innovative technology with close relationships with partners and service providers, and with strong local teams, Dstny can deliver the best possible user experience and make the latest applications accessible to companies across Europe. Headquartered in Brussels, Dstny has 750 employees in 7 European countries (Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, UK) and an annual turnover of nearly 190 million in 2021. More info: www.dstny.com About Qunifi / Call2Teams Qunifi a global leader in voice integrations and creator of the Call2Teams and Carrier Automate propositions. Call2Teams is a cloud-native, SaaS middleware product that sits between any phone system, PBX or SIP Trunk provider, and Microsoft Teams. Call2Teams seamlessly voice-enables Microsoft Teams with the rich functionality of the existing telephony without end-users needing to port numbers, change carrier or throw away their existing phone system. www.call2teams.com Carrier Automate helps unlock the Microsoft opportunity for operators and carriers. Through Carrier Automate Qunifi provides set-up, integration and ongoing access to the Carrier Automate SaaS platform allowing carriers and operators to onboard and deliver their services via Microsoft Operator Connect service. www.carrierautomate.com Qunifi is based in the UK, has partners in over 30 countries and end-users in over 100 countries. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1774180/Dstny_key_profiles.jpg Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/european-cloud-communications-provider-dstny-acquires-qunifi-to-take-a-leadership-position-in-microsoft-teams-business-integrations-301511094.html SOURCE Dstny Company Logo Dublin, March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Autonomous Vehicle Market by Autonomy Level, Powertrain Type, Components, and Supporting Technologies including 5G, AI, and Edge Computing 2022 - 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report assesses the autonomous vehicle market including leading vendors, strategies, product and service offerings. The report evaluates autonomous vehicles by autonomy level, powertrain type, components, and supporting technologies. It also evaluates the impact of major technologies on autonomous vehicle markets such as 5G, AI, edge computing, IoT, data analytics, and smart building integration. The report provides global and regional forecasts for the autonomous vehicle market including hardware, software, and services along with emerging technologies from 2021 to 2026. The report covers major consumer and commercial categories including personal vehicles, shared vehicles (ridesharing and shared vehicles/partial ownership) and rentals. The report also evaluates autonomous control in ICE vehicles, EV, and ICE/EV hybrids. Autonomous Vehicle Disruption of the Automotive Industry Ecosystem Autonomous vehicles are poised to invoke a revolution in the automobile industry including public transportation systems, car rental and sharing systems, vehicle leasing and ownership, industrial transportation, and automotive insurance practices and systems. The extent of disruption will increase with the degree of vehicle autonomy, which is measured in levels from zero (fully human-operated) to five (fully automated system) with the evolution from levels 1 through 4 consisting of an autopilot system combined with some level of human control or intervention capability. Autonomous vehicles are anticipated to become the foundation of transportation as a service globally. The automotive ecosystem is also faced with disruption from electric vehicles (EV), which has transformed supply chain economics at the vehicle component level as well as consumer value perception and lifecycle management. Improvements in battery cost/performance and reduction in the cost of power train components for EV will lead to lower overall purchase cost that is more comparable with traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The autonomous vehicle ecosystem will also be highly disruptive with respect to the consumer segment regarding the traditional production and sales cycle. This will be due largely to the vast amount of data produced by self-driving cars, vans, and trucks. The use of AI and big data analytics will allow both real-time decision-making as well as post-event analytics. Autonomous Vehicle Growth Factors and Constraints The autonomous vehicle market will grow rapidly during the 2020s and will transform many industries including consumer mobility, commercial transport, industrial automation, smart cities, and transportation systems as a whole. There are many factors that will drive the growth and adoption of autonomous vehicles including cost reduction, safety improvements, and incremental advances in consumer perception. For example, the U.S. Department of Transportation has moved forward with an Automated Vehicles Comprehensive Plan with the intention of establishing policies and regulations to ensure the safe and full integration of automated driving systems into the surface transportation system. The plan includes real-world examples of how policies and regulations will relate to emerging automated driving systems applications. The United States is not alone in the push for a robust autonomous vehicle market. China and South Korea are two leading companies in the Asia Pacific region. For example, South Korea invested $1 billion in autonomous vehicle technology with a focus on technology and infrastructure development. Companies such as Hyundai and Samsung allow South Korea to implement vehicles more seamlessly with autonomous capabilities. South Korea desires to achieve the commercialization of level 4 autonomous vehicles by 2027. In addition to overcoming public trust factors relative to safety, the autonomous vehicle market is also focused on the major consumer upsides to self-driving vehicles, which include less expensive transport, opportunities for ride-sharing and fractional ownership, and ultimately reduced outright leasing and ownership of cars, vans, and trucks. This is anticipated to have a major impact on OEMs and traditional automakers, despite the fact that market-leading automobile manufacturers are aggressively pursuing autonomous vehicle product offerings. The Juxtaposition of Fully Autonomous Vehicles, Connected Drivers and Passengers Paradoxically, automotive vendors are also continuously upgrading their fleets to offer more connected vehicles, which provide drivers with a substantially more safe, enjoyable, and informative driving experience. However, autonomous vehicles are also connected via IoT technologies and various broadband and narrowband wireless solutions. In the near future, the publisher anticipates that automobile vendors will offer next-generation connected vehicle apps to human occupants within autonomous vehicles that capitalize upon hands-free operation, and in some cases, offer fully immersive experiences for longer trips. Autonomous Vehicles for Commercial Fleets and other Business Operations The evolution of self-driving vehicles for the fleet market will be human controlled fleets to machine/human-controlled fleets to completely autonomous (e.g. machine-driven) vehicles that leverage various technologies including sensors, AI, cognitive computing, geo-fencing, GIS/mapping, and more. Ultimately, the market will achieve level 4 autonomy, which is similar to level 3, but the human behind the wheel is considered to be a "passenger" rather than a "driver." Market-leading autonomous vehicle use cases will be found primarily within the business realm with an emphasis on shipping and commercial fleets. Important within this segment is heavy haul trucking, which refers to the transport of oversize or overweight freight equipped with specialized trailers and transporting heavy equipment. Select Report Findings: Story continues Key technology areas to leverage for service provider solutions include AI, 5G, and IoT 5G related software expenditures in support of autonomous vehicle solutions will reach $13.2 billion by 2027 Edge computing infrastructure and services in support of autonomous vehicles will reach $42.8 billion by 2027 Dedicated infrastructure for autonomous vehicles will serve as a proving ground for economic justification for autonomous vehicle ride-share and other green tech solutions Smart city market growth and innovation will be highly correlated with autonomous and connected vehicle technology funding, R&D and developments Driven by private and sovereign investment, certain countries outside the United States will witness surprisingly robust growth in autonomous vehicle deployments Autonomous Systems Technology and Market Analysis Autonomous Vehicle Technology Smart Transportation and ADAS Systems Artificial Intelligence Software Vehicle Security Systems Vehicle Infotainment Systems Vehicle as a Service and Ride Sharing Services Big Data Analytics and Simulation in Support of Autonomous Ecosystem Usage Based Automobile Insurance Opportunities and Deployments in Smart Cities Role of Blockchain and Cloud Computing Electric Vehicle Charging and Smart Building Integration Autonomous Vehicle Value Chain Human Interactions with Autonomous Vehicles Government Regulations Autonomous Vehicle Impact Analysis Automobile Industry Strategic Partnerships Autonomous Vehicle Ecosystem Analysis AImotive Alibaba (SAIC Motors) Alphabet Inc. (Waymo) Amazon.com Inc. Apple Inc. APTIV Arbe Robotics Audi AG Aurora Autoliv Inc. Autotalks Ltd. Baidu Inc. (NIO) Beijing Trunk Tech Co. Ltd. Blackberry QNX BMW AG Cisco System Inc. Cognata Cohda Wireless Commsignia Continental AG Cruise LLC DAF Trucks Daimler AG (Mercedes Benz) Deep Vision Deepmap Deepscale DENSO Corporation Didi Chuxing Technology Co. Ltd. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Ford Motor Company General Motors GrabTaxi Holdings Pte. Ltd. Groupe PSA Groupe Renault Hitachi Honda Motor Company Ltd. Huawei Technology Co. Ltd. Hyundai Idriverplus Innoviz Technologies Innovusion Intel Corporation (Mobileye) IVECO Jaguar Land Rover LeddarTech Lyft Inc. Magna International Inc. Metawave Microsoft Corporation Mighty AI Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Nikola Corporation Nissan Motor Corporation Nuro NVidia Corporation NXP Semiconductors NV PACCAR Panasonic Corporation Porsche AG Prophesee Robert Bosch GmbH Robosense Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Scania AB Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson Tencent Tesla Inc. Toshiba Toyota Motor Corporation Uber Technologies Inc. Valeo Velodyne Lidar, Inc. Visteon Volkswagen AG Volvo Car Corporation Voyage WeRide Zenuity ZF Friedrichshafen Zhejiang Geely Holding Group For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/m5jcl1 CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 BlueWeave Consulting and Research Pvt Ltd North America is expected to hold the largest market share, followed by Europe due to factors such as favorable healthcare infrastructure and the availability of numerous market players in these regions. North American veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market is growing due to the growing number of pets in the region and rising awareness regarding pet insurance among pet owners. New Delhi, March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rising technological advancement in diagnostic devices, automation, rising companion animal population, coupled with the increasing trend of pet insurance, is the key factor anticipated to propel the demand of the veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market in the forecast period A recent study by the strategic consulting and market research firm; BlueWeave Consulting revealed that the Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market was worth USD 1,552.8 million in 2021 and is projected to reach up to USD 2.636.8 million by the year 2028, growing at a CAGR of 8.7 % over the analysis period of 2022-2028. Rising technical advancement in diagnostic instruments, automation, rising companion animal population, and the increasing trend of pet insurance are expected to drive demand for the veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market during the forecast period. Furthermore, rising investment in animal healthcare, rising zoonotic disease incidence, and rising disposable income in emerging nations would drive the worldwide veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market. Increase in Incidence of Rabies Across Some Nations is driving the Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market There is a growing incidence of people getting infected with rabies worldwide. The disease, which has been found to have a 100% mortality rate, is rising. Dogs and bats happen to be the main source of human-led rabies deaths and contribute to more than 99% of all transmissions that were carried forward to humans. According to the National Travel Health Network and Centre, By 2019, Over four imported rabies cases got reported across European travelers. In May 2019, Norway announced its confirmation for one rabies-related mortality, followed by an infection in the Philippines. In December 2019, over three fatalities associated with rabies were confirmed. Since rabies has been found to have an incubation period of 2-3 months, it spreads slowly but reduces the chances for that particular infected human to survive. As a result, these cases have spurred a growing demand for diagnosis and disease prevention across some nations, positively impacting the growth of the infectious disease diagnostics market. Story continues Request for Sample Report @ https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/report/veterinary-infectious-disease-diagnostics-market/report-sample Higher costs across some middle- and low-income nations are hindering the growth of the Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market Although the number of pet ownership has been on the rise, there is an equal if not a better upward trend in the costs associated with the veterinary treatment of domesticated animals. Some of the primary services offered by vets include clinical services (treatment-related to diseased animals and controlling production), preventive services (averting any disease outbreak), provision of drugs, vaccines, and other pharmaceuticals, and human health protection (comprising inspection of animal products). Such high costs with some amounting close to the annual per capita of some middle and low-income countries demonstrate the higher costs of veterinary service prices around the world, which have kept the diagnostic test and routine checkup of animals out of the picture for a long time, negatively contributing to the demand of veterinary infectious disease diagnostics, thereby hindering the growth of the market. Impact Of COVID-19 On The Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market The advent of newer biotechnological techniques, including gene cloning, immunohistochemistry procedures, and immunogen overexpression assays, has demonstrated that it is becoming increasingly possible to generate specific spike proteins, which could revolutionize the present generation of immunoassays. The techniques could augment the sensitivity and specificity capabilities of assays by offering an improved antibody binding target and reducing volatility found across intra-kit incorporation. For instance, In April 2020, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. announced that the company is making its IDEXX SARS-CoV-2 RealPCR Test available for pets. IDEXX stated that they were launching the test regarding the growing customer demand and evidence found across pets living with COVID-19 positive owners. The test was only made available for veterinarians across the North American region; however, it was made available to the rest of the world in the next few months. Please visit press release of Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market: https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/press-release/veterinary-infectious-disease-diagnostics-market-projected-to-reach-worth-usd-2-636-8-million-in-2028 Europe is Growing at a Significant Rate in The Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market. In terms of regional analysis global veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market is classified into North America, Europe, The Asia Pacific, Latin America, The Middle East, and Africa. The growing number of Zoonoses in the region, rising awareness towards regular checkups of poultry and pets, and growing penetration of animal insurances has supported the growth of the veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market in the European region. Additionally, the support from the government to control the frequent outbreaks of veterinary infectious disease in the region has further supported the growth of the market. The advancements in the ELISE tests and PCR tests is expected to present growth opportunities during the forecast period. Competitive Landscape The Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market is characterized by the presence of many local, regional, and global vendors. The market for veterinary infectious disease diagnostics is partially consolidated, with fierce competition among the leading players. The leading market players of the global veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market are Biomerieux S.A., Heska Corporation, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., IDVet, Neogen Corporation, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC, Ceva Sante Animale, Bayer AG, Vetoquinol S.A, HESKA Corporation, Demeditec Diagnostics GmbH, and other prominent players. Dont miss the business opportunity of the Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market. Consult our analysts to gain crucial insights and facilitate your business growth. The report's in-depth analysis provides information about growth potential, upcoming trends, and the Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market statistics. It also highlights the factors driving forecasts of total market size. The report promises to provide recent technology trends in the Global Veterinary Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market, along with industry insights to help decision-makers make sound strategic decisions. Furthermore, the report also analyses the market's growth drivers, challenges, and competitive dynamics. Scope of Report: Attribute Details Years Considered Historical data 2018-2021 Base Year 2021 Forecast 2022 2028 Facts Covered Revenue in USD Million Market Coverage United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, South Africa Product/Service Segmentation By Technology, By Animal Type, By End-Users, By Region Key Players The leading market players of the global veterinary infectious disease diagnostics market are Biomerieux S.A., Heska Corporation, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., IDVet, Neogen Corporation, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC, Ceva Sante Animale, Bayer AG, Vetoquinol S.A, HESKA Corporation, Demeditec Diagnostics GmbH, and other prominent players. By Technology Immunodiagnostics Lateral Flow Assays ELISA Tests Other Immunodiagnostic Technologies Molecular Diagnostics Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Tests Microarrays Other Molecular Diagnostic Tests Others By Animal Type Companion Animals Food Producing Animals By End-User Reference Laboratories Veterinary Hospitals and Clinics Point of Care / In House Testing Research Institutes and Universities By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East and Africa Please Find Below Some Related Report: Sustained Release Coatings Market, Opportunity and Forecast, 2018-2028 Oxygen Therapy Device Market, Opportunity and Forecast, 2018-2028 Oxygen Conserving Device Market, Opportunity and Forecast, 2018-2028 Pulse Oximeters Market, Opportunity and Forecast, 2017-2027 Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADC) Market, Opportunity and Forecast, 2017-2027 About Us Blue Weave Consulting provides all-inclusive Market Intelligence (MI) Solutions to businesses regarding various products and services online & offline. We offer comprehensive market research reports by analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to boost your business solution's performance. BWC has built its reputation from the scratches by delivering quality inputs and nourishing long-lasting relationships with its clients. We are a promising digital MI solutions company providing agile assistance to make your business endeavors successful. Contact Us: BlueWeave Consulting & Research Pvt. Ltd +1 866 658 6826 | +1 425 320 4776 | +44 1865 60 0662 info@blueweaveconsulting.com https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/blueweaveconsulting/ By Trend Tajik citizens, who arrived in Poland from Ukraine, were flown to Dushanbe per the initiative of the Government of Tajikistan, Trend reports citing Khovar. To date, 413 Tajik citizens, including women, the elderly and minors returned home. Additional flights are expected to take place in the near future. SAN FRANCISCO, March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new market study published by Global Industry Analysts Inc., (GIA) the premier market research company, today released its report titled "Virtual Data Rooms - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" . The report presents fresh perspectives on opportunities and challenges in a significantly transformed post COVID-19 marketplace. Global Virtual Data Rooms Market to Reach $2.7 Billion by 2025 FACTS AT A GLANCE What's New for 2022? Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform Complimentary updates for one year Edition: 18; Released: February 2022 Executive Pool: 852 Companies: 37 - Players covered include Ansarada Pty Ltd.; BMC Group, Inc.; Box, Inc.; Brainloop AG; CapLinked; Citrix Systems, Inc.; Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc.; Drooms; EthosData; Firmex, Inc.; HighQ Solutions Limited; iDeals Solutions Group; Intralinks Holdings, Inc.; Merrill Corporation; SecureDocs, Inc.; ShareVault; Shield Docs; TransPerfect; Vault Rooms, Inc. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Component (Software, Services); Organization Size (Large Enterprises, SMEs); Vertical (IT & Telecom, Retail & eCommerce, BFSI, Other Verticals) Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Spain; Russia; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Australia; India; South Korea; Rest of Asia-Pacific; Latin America; Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; Rest of Latin America; Middle East; Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; UAE; Rest of Middle East; Africa. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry Story continues ABSTRACT- Global Virtual Data Rooms Market to Reach $2.7 Billion by 2025 Virtual data rooms, also known as deal rooms, present an online data repository or cloud storage for data storage and sharing. The storage of data in virtual database allows organizations to control the data and allow only authorized users to access the information. Originally meant to facilitate cooperation among organizations engaged in M&A transactions, virtual data rooms have experienced notable evolution in terms of applications and functions. These advanced repositories are perfect options not only for secure information sharing, but also for data protection as they rely on sophisticated tools to encrypt uploaded documents. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Virtual Data Rooms is projected to reach US$2.7 Billion by 2025, registering a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.8% over the analysis period. United States represents the largest regional market for Virtual Data Rooms, accounting for an estimated 30.9% share of the global total. The market is projected to reach US$807.3 Million by the close of the analysis period. China is expected to spearhead growth and emerge as the fastest growing regional market with a CAGR of 18.7% over the analysis period. The global virtual data room market is exhibiting phenomenal expansion due to the increasing adoption of the platform across a diverse spectrum of industries coupled with burgeoning business data volumes from deals and rising demand for intellectual property and risk management. Recent advances related to virtual data rooms have extended their functionality and application scope to various end-users across a diverse spectrum of industries. Virtual data rooms are finding increasing adoption among financial, marketing, legal and workforce management organizations to store documents or business-critical information. Demand for virtual data rooms is also fueled by increasing data traffic in prime data management business like data centers, which are not intended to perform secure and safe transactions. The use of bank-grade data encryption technology by providers has made virtual data rooms highly secure platforms. The emergence of blockchain provides companies with the opportunity to further increase the security level. The market is likely to be propelled by increasing adoption of virtual data room services by organizations and governments across developed economies including the US and Canada owing to strong focus on technological innovation. Virtual data rooms hold immense scope across emerging economies such as India where a large number of local players collaborate with international firms and operate as outsource supporters for clients across developed markets. North America, along with South America, is expected to register robust gains due to increasing fundraising, joint ventures and M&A activities along with the presence of some of the leading companies in the region. Asia-Pacific exudes immense growth potential, and is estimated to post the highest growth rate in the coming years. The regional market is anticipated to benefit from rapid expansion of local players and increasing investment in infrastructure development. The IT & telecom sector is anticipated to remain the leading end-user of data rooms and hold the major share of the global virtual data room market in the coming years. The platform is finding increasing adoption in the sector for facilitating deals and ensuring safe storage and transfer of data. The emergence of blockchain-based technologies to further improve security level of virtual data rooms across the IT ecosystem is expected to benefit the segment. More MarketGlass Platform Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: 1-408-528-9966 www.StrategyR.com Email: ZA@StrategyR.com LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media Info411@strategyr.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-virtual-data-rooms-market-to-reach-2-7-billion-by-2025--301510635.html SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Partnership between Gulf Coast State College and Simply Healthcare Invests in Florida Panhandle Nursing Workforce, and Development of the Next Generation of Health Care Heroes PANAMA CITY, Fla., March 28, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gulf Coast State College hosted an on-campus press conference on Friday, March 25 at 10 am to announce the launch of the Simply Health Scholars Program and its ten scholarship recipients. Thanks to over $100,000 in funding from Simply Healthcare Plans (Simply), select nursing students who reside in the Florida Panhandle will receive scholarships to fully cover their tuition and associated costs. These recipients are pursuing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) and they reside in Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Franklin or Washington counties. "It is an honor for Simply Healthcare to select Gulf Coast State College as the first college in Florida to initiate the Simply Health Scholars Program," said Dr. John Holdnak, President of Gulf Coast State College. "Our partnership with Simply will not only benefit our students while they pursue their degree, but also our community as our graduates serve the Panhandle post-graduation." According to the Florida Hospital Association and Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Floridas Nurse Workforce Projection Report, Florida faces a shortfall of 59,100 nurses by 2035. This shortage can be felt even more acutely in particular areas of the state, including many counties located in the Florida Panhandle. These counties are among those expected to face some of the states most dire RN shortages. "Floridas health care heroes have been on the frontlines caring for our states most vulnerable populations," said Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. "As our state continues to compete for talented health care professionals to serve our communities, its more important than ever to find new ways to attract these candidates from across the country to study and work here in Florida. Thank you to Gulf Coast State College and Simply Healthcare for their investment in Floridas future health care heroes and congratulations to the scholarship recipients." Story continues To help maintain a robust network of highly skilled health care providers in some of Floridas most vulnerable communities, GCSC and Simply have teamed up to invest in the next generation of health care heroes who will commit to post-graduate work in the Florida Panhandle. "We are proud to support Gulf Coast State College and their exceptional nursing students in their pursuit to become health care leaders within their communities," said Holly Prince, President of Simply Healthcare. "At Simply, we continually seek opportunities and collaborations to help increase the health care workforce, especially in locations of greatest need. Our collaboration with Gulf Coast State College is emblematic of our mission to improve lives and communities in every area of the state and ensure institutions on the front lines of health care education and training are well supported." The Simply Health Scholars Program is part of more than $1 million in financial support provided by Simply since 2021 to address various community needs across Florida. "The partnership between Simply and Gulf Coast State College to increase the nursing workforce accomplishes two great things for the Panhandle," said Rep. Jason Shoaf, House District 7. "First, it helps ensure that our communities have access to quality care to keep them healthy. And second, it equips our neighbors in local communities with the skills needed to enter and strengthen our workforce." About Gulf Coast State College Gulf Coast State College is a two-year public college that also offers workforce-oriented bachelor's degrees and certifications. We are located near the worlds most beautiful beaches and serve thousands of students across Northwest Florida. We provide educational opportunities for all ages, and are proud to be recognized for being a military friendly institution. We offer a broad array of degree programs to meet in-demand career and workforce needs. With the lowest tuition of public colleges and universities in Florida, you'll find that we are a tremendous value for everyones educational goals. Learn more at www.gulfcoast.edu. About Simply Healthcare Plans Simply Healthcare Plans, Inc. ("Simply"), is a Florida managed health care plan that serves Medicare Advantage and Medicaid members in the state of Florida. In addition, Simply, through a line of business called Clear Health Alliance, also serves Florida Medicaid members who are living with HIV/AIDS. Our goal is to provide health care and related services that are comprehensive, integrated and patient-centered. Each and every day, members of our team can be found in Florida communities, listening to our members, interacting with our health care providers and partnering with community-based organizations. Our goal is to ensure members and entire communities are empowered to become active participants in their health care and sustain healthy lifestyles. To learn more about Simply, visit www.simplyhealthcareplans.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220328005683/en/ Contacts Katie McCurdy Gulf Coast State College 850-872-3814 kmccurdy2@gulfcoast.edu Michael Perry Anthem 617-519-6206 Michael.perry@anthem.com Developments in the global construction sector, rapid industrialization coupled with increasing infrastructural spending, and retrofit & replacement of existing equipment drive the growth of the global hydraulic cylinders market. PORTLAND, Ore., March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Hydraulic Cylinders Market by Function (Single Acting Cylinders and Double Acting Cylinder), Design (Tie-Rod Cylinders and Welded Cylinders), and Bore Size (Less Than 50mm, 51mm to 100mm, 101mm to 150mm, and Greater Than 151mm): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030". According to the report, the global hydraulic cylinders industry generated $14.07 billion in 2020, and is anticipated to generate $21.2 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 4.2% from 2021 to 2030. Allied Market Research Logo Prime determinants of growth Developments in the global construction sector, rapid industrialization coupled with increasing infrastructural spending, and retrofit & replacement of existing equipment drive the growth of the global hydraulic cylinders market. However, hydraulic cylinders are costlier as compared to pneumatic cylinders, which hinders the market growth. On the other hand, extensive range of applications and increase in demand for material handling equipment presents new opportunities in the coming years. Download Sample PDF: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/5081 Covid-19 Scenario The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the growth of the global hydraulic cylinders market, owing to lack of raw materials and manpower, especially in the initial period. Also, the pandemic had halted the production facilities of the hydraulic cylinders industry and disrupted the supply chain, due to implementation of lockdown. However, the market is going to recover soon. The double acting segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period Based on function, the double acting segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than three-fifths of the global hydraulic cylinders market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. Single acting cylinders is simple, required less maintenance and is economical as compared to double acting cylinders, which drive the growth of the market. Moreover, the single acting segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 6.5% from 2021 to 2030. This is because double-acting hydraulic cylinder is ideal equipment for machine handling equipment in automotive sector. Story continues Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Solar Power Equipment Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/5081 The 51mm to 100mm segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period Based on bore size, the 51mm to 100mm segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing to nearly one-third of the global hydraulic cylinders market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. Moreover, the same segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 6.5% from 2021 to 2030, owing to an increase in the demand for hydraulic cylinder with bore size 51 mm to 100 mm across the end users. Asia-Pacific, followed by North America, to maintain its dominance by 2030 Based on region, Asia-Pacific, followed by North America, held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global hydraulic cylinders market, owing to rise in demand for hydraulic cylinder in the construction industry. Moreover, the LAMEA region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 5.0% during the forecast period. Leading Market Players Actuant Corporation Caterpillar Inc. Eaton Corporation Plc JARP Industries Inc. Hengli Hydraulic Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited Parker Hannifin Corporation Robert Bosch GmbH Texas Hydraulics Inc. Wipro Limited. Interested in Procure Data? Visit: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/5081 Access AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Avenue is a user-based library of global market report database, provides comprehensive reports pertaining to the world's largest emerging markets. It further offers e-access to all the available industry reports just in a jiffy. By offering core business insights on the varied industries, economies, and end users worldwide, Avenue ensures that the registered members get an easy as well as single gateway to their all-inclusive requirements. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenueTrial Similar Reports We Have: Pneumatic Cylinder Market - Global pneumatic cylinder market is projected to reach $23,850.4 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 5.8% from 2021 to 2030. Mining Equipment Market - Global mining equipment market size was $125,274.0 million in 2020, and is expected to reach $182,119 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.6% from 2021 to 2030. Hydraulic Pump Market - Global hydraulic pump market is projected to reach $13,919.0 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 3.6% from 2021 to 2030. Heavy Construction Equipment Market - Global heavy construction equipment market is projected to reach $273.5 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 4.4% from 2021 to 2030. Construction Equipment Market - Global construction equipment market size is expected to reach $261,047 million in 2027, from $184,500 million in 2019, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2020 to 2027. Pre-Book Now with 10% Discount: Compact Construction Equipment Market - Global Compact Construction Equipment Market is projected to reach $9,438 million in 2023, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2017 to 2023. About Allied Market Research: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact us: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free (USA/Canada): +1-800-792-5285, UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hydraulic-cylinders-market-to-reach-21-2-bn-globally-by-2030-at-4-2-cagr-allied-market-research-301511604.html SOURCE Allied Market Research Giant cranes of Hyundai Heavy Industries are seen in Ulsan SEOUL (Reuters) - Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings said on Monday it had appealed to an EU court to fight the European Commission's January decision to block its takeover bid for rival shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. The suit, made to the European Union's General Court, was filed on March 23, a Hyundai spokesperson said. Hyundai argued that regulators in other regions had accepted the shipbuilding industry was a market controlled by shipowners' orders and preferences, not market share, and so the proposed takeover did not hurt competition, the spokesperson said. (Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Edmund Blair) TAIPEI, March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To meet industry demand and boost its international competitiveness in the fast-growing offshore wind power industry, IOVTEC Co., Ltd (IOVTEC) recently completed ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 management system certification through TUV Rheinland. By laying the groundwork for improvements to quality of service and labor safety and health management, the certifications will lead to enhanced talent development and maritime engineering capabilities. IOVTEC is a Taiwan-based surveying company established in 2013. In 2018, IOVTEC entered into a joint venture with CWind from the UK to set up CWind Taiwan. IOVTEC then partnered with other organizations to set up Taiwan International Windpower Training Corporation (TIWTC) for the cultivation of domestic offshore wind talents in Taiwan. In 2020, IOVTEC also established a joint venture, Fugro IOVTEC, with a Dutch Geotechnical specialist, Fugro. In the same year, to inject new vitality into the original brand, IOVTEC established a new brand to create a localized offshore wind integration service group image, which is, International Ocean Group (IOG). Services provided by IOG include maritime survey, operation & maintenance, marine geotechnics, offshore wind vessel charter and talents cultivation. IOG boasts experienced survey teams, sophisticated equipment and specialized offshore wind fleet. It has accumulated extensive real-world experience with offshore wind farms in Taiwan, and is working actively to realize the dream of green energy localization. ISO 9001 quality management system certification indicates that an enterprise has standardized the quality management of its products or services to reduce business risk to the organization; at the same time, ISO 45001 certification helps all organizations ensure a safe workplace for their employees through improved occupational safety & health performance. In the past, most applications for ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certification came from the traditional manufacturing sector. Applications for ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 management system certification from service providers such as IOVTEC have been rarely encountered, even by TUV Rheinland auditors. Ryan Hsiang, manager of Systems Division at TUV Rheinland, says that in addition to the usual inspection of the control processes, in this particular case auditors also had to evaluate the risks of the operational environment using a mix of service and manufacturing industry requirements while taking maritime climate and green energy policy into account. The exacting requirements of offshore wind farms for risk management in maritime engineering meant that the document reviews and understanding of the nature of risks involved all posed a great challenge. The weather at sea can be very variable, and this operating environment not only poses a potential danger to workers but also increases the frequency of rescue operations. Design and planning for labor safety should therefore strive to minimize safety concerns and risk incidence. Story continues TUV Rheinland has nearly 150 years of international inspection, testing and certification experience. First established in Taiwan 35 years ago, it is a GWO certification body and has played an active role in the cultivation of offshore wind power expertise in Taiwan over the past few years. In 2021, TUV Rheinland was recognized by the "Ministry of Labor" for its contributions to the promotion of enterprise occupational safety and health systems. In the Taiwan offshore wind power industry, TUV Rheinland already provides EN 1090 certification, ISO 3834 certification, NDT training and examination, and welding examination services to many key local infrastructure manufacturers. TUV Rheinland hopes that its contributions to national energy transformation and industry diversification will lead to more advanced technologies, environmental sustainability, and personnel safety. Logo (PRNewsfoto/TUV Rheinland Greater China) SOURCE TUV Rheinland Taiwan PARIS, March 28, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News: KORIAN announces the launch of KORUS 2022, its first employee shareholding operation open to all of its employees in France1, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK (hereinafter the "Offer"). ISSUING COMPANY KORIAN S.A. (Euronext Paris: KORI ISIN code: FR0010386334), French societe anonyme with its registered office at 21-25, rue Balzac, 75008 Paris, France, and identified at the Trade and Companies Registry under number 447 800 475 RCS Paris (hereinafter the "Company"). Information regarding the Company is available on its website (www.korian.com) and in particular in the universal registration document available on this website. OBJECTIVES In line with the commitments of its corporate project "In Caring Hands", KORIAN is offering its employees the possibility of holding, directly or indirectly, KORIAN shares. KORUS 2022 is a new step in KORIANs human resources policy, which will offer each employee an additional opportunity to benefit from the ambitious transformation and innovation, to best serve the elderly and fragile whatever their needs may be, and the future growth of the Group as a shareholder as well as an employee. FRAMEWORK OF THE OFFER The Offer will be completed through a share purchase and/or a capital increase reserved for members of the Plan Epargne Groupe ("PEG") and Plan Epargne Groupe International ("PEGI") in accordance with Articles L. 3332-24 and L. 3332-18 of the French Labour Code. The main characteristics of the Offer were determined by the decision of the Board of Directors on 2 December 2021. The dates of the participation/revocation period will be fixed on 24 June 2022 by a decision of the General Director, acting by delegation of the Board of Directors. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER Source of the shares and ceilings The shares purchased under the Offer will be (i) existing shares previously repurchased by the Company within the terms of the share buyback program as authorized by the Combined General Meeting of 27 May 2021 under the 18th resolution and/or (ii) new shares issued in accordance with the delegation granted to the Board of Directors by the Combined General Meeting of 27 May 2021 under the 19th resolution to carry out capital increases reserved for members of a savings plan, within the limit of a par value of 2.5% of the share capital as at the date of the decision of the Board of Directors. The new shares will carry current dividend rights. Story continues The number of Company shares made available for subscription and/or acquisition by the employees within the framework of the Offer, including the matching contribution from the employer, is limited to 2.5 % of the share capital as at the date of the decision of the Board of Directors determining the main characteristics of the Offer. In accordance with the decision of the Board of Directors of 2 December 2021, the General Director may, as the case may be, decide to fix an additional subscription ceiling in euros. Shares may also be issued to a subsidiary of the partner bank for the implementation of the Offer through a specific structure due to local legal constraints in Italy (shares and stock appreciation rights structure) in accordance with the delegation granted by the Combined General Meeting of 27 May 2021 under the 20th resolution to issue shares reserved for a category of beneficiaries within the framework of an employee shareholding operation, within the limit of a par value of 0.15% of the share capital as at the date of the decision of the Board of Directors determining the main characteristics of the Offer. Beneficiaries The Offer is reserved to (i) employees of the companies of the KORIAN group within seven jurisdictions (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom) which belong to the PEG or to the PEGI, having at least three months' seniority, continuous or not, between 1 January 2021 and the end of the participation/revocation period of the Offer and to (ii) retired employees who hold assets in the group savings plan (hereinafter the Beneficiaries ). However, the Company may decide not to implement the Offer in a jurisdiction mentioned above if a legal, tax or practical constraint so requires. Proposed formulas The Beneficiaries may purchase or subscribe for KORIAN shares under a leverage formula, through a company mutual fund (Fonds Commun de Placement d'Entreprise or FCPE) or directly under a shares and SAR (stock appreciation rights) structure depending on the local regulatory and tax constraints. This Offer has preferential conditions with a 15% on the share price and a matching contribution from KORIAN equal to 100% of the amount invested and capped at 200 before tax. Each Beneficiary will benefit from: - a protection of the euro amount of their initial investment (including the matching contribution) in the event of a decrease of the KORIAN share price2 - a multiple of the potential protected average increase3 of the KORIAN share price over the lock-up period Lock-up period In France, the shares purchased or subscribed shares directly as well as the FCPE units are unavailable to the beneficiaries for a five-year period. However employees will be able to ask for anticipated availability of the funds under certain conditions as described in Articles L. 3332-25 and R. 3324-22 of the French Labour Code. In other countries, early release cases may be adapted to take account of local legislations or constraints, in particular tax constraints. Offer Price The acquisition or subscription price of the shares offered will be equal to the average of the daily volume-weighted average prices (VWAP) of the KORIAN shares on Euronext Paris market during the (20) twenty trading days preceding the decision of the General Director fixing the dates of the participation/revocation period, minus a 15% discount and rounded to the nearest euro cent (hereinafter the Offer Price ). This decision is scheduled for 24 June 2022. The applicable exchange rate for the United-Kingdom will be fixed at the same time as the Offer Price. Indicative timetable - Reservation period: from 5 May to 23 May 2022 inclusive - Offer Price setting: 24 June 2022 - Participation/revocation period: from 24 June to 27 June 2022 inclusive - Capital increase/Settlement-delivery: 21 July 2022 - End of the lock-up period: 20 July 2027, at midnight. These dates are indicative and may be subject to modification or adaptation, particularly due to any legal and/or operational constraints that could disrupt the implementation of the Offer, as well as any legislation applicable in each jurisdiction. LISTING OF THE SHARES Existing shares offered within the framework of the Offer are ordinary shares of the Company, listed on the Euronext Paris stock market (Compartment A) under the ISIN code FR0010386334. The shares are eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (Systeme de Reglement Differe or SRD). If applicable, the request for admitting the newly issued shares to trading on the Euronext Paris regulated market will be sent as soon as possible after the completion of the capital increase. The shares will be admitted on the same quotation line as the existing shares and will be fully assimilated to them as soon as they are admitted for trading. VOTING RIGHTS For shares purchased through the FCPE, the voting rights attached to the shares will be exercised by the supervisory board of the FCPE. For shares held directly by the Beneficiaries, the voting rights attached to the shares offered under this Offer will be exercised directly by the Beneficiaries. For shares issued in accordance with the delegation granted by the Combined General Meeting of 27 May 2021 under the 20th resolution, the voting rights will be exercised by the beneficiary of the relevant capital increase. HEDGING TRANSACTIONS The implementation of the Offer implies that the financial institution counterpart to the Offer will carry out hedging transactions, on the market and/or over-the-counter, by means of purchases and/or sales of shares, the purchase of call options and/or of all other transactions, at all times, in particular as from the opening date of the period for fixing the Offer Price and for the whole duration of the Offer. SPECIFIC MENTIONS This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to purchase or subscribe for KORIAN shares. The Offer is strictly reserved for above referenced Beneficiaries. KORIAN shares made available for acquisition or subscription within the framework of this Offer have not been recommended by any governmental securities commission or regulatory authority. Neither KORIAN nor any Beneficiaries' employers are giving investment advice. Investing is a personal decision, that must be made by each Beneficiary, taking into account their financial resources, investment goals, personal tax situation, any other investment alternatives, and the fact that the value of a quoted share will fluctuate. In this regard, Beneficiaries are invited to consider the diversification of their investments portfolio to ensure that the risk that they assume is not unduly concentrated on any single investment. The Offer is proposed on a discretionary basis by KORIAN. Neither KORIAN nor the Beneficiaries' employers are required to repeat the Offer or to make similar offers in the future. The terms and conditions of the Offer do not form part of the employment contract of the employees. In France, the present document is prepared to meet the requirements of the French Market Authority (AMF) set out in Article 3.1 of the AMF Guidelines on the employee savings funds (Guide relatif aux fonds d'epargne salariale) as modified on 3 January 2019. In addition, this document contains the information required under Article 1, paragraphs 4-i) and 5-h), of the Regulation (EU) 2017-1129 of 14 June 2017. About Korian Korian, the leading European care services group for elderly and fragile people. www.korian.com Korian has been listed on Euronext Paris Section A since November 2006 and is included in the following indices: SBF 120, CAC Health Care, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid & Small and MSCI Global Small Cap Euronext ticker: KORI - ISIN: FR0010386334 Reuters: KORI.PA Bloomberg: KORI.FP 1 The employees belonging to the UES (Unite Economique et Sociale) in France 2 Except in the occurrence of certain events such as are set out in the documents relating to the Offer 3 The protected average increase of the share price is calculated based on an average of the share price during 5 years considering only increases above the initial price and taking the initial price in case of a decrease View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220327005072/en/ Contacts INVESTOR RELATIONS Sarah Mingham VP Investor Relations & Financing sarah.mingham@korian.com Tel: +33 (0)1 55 37 53 55 Carole Alexandre Deputy Head of Investor Relations carole.alexandre@korian.com Tel: +33 (0)7 64 65 22 44 MEDIA CONTACTS Cyrille Lachevre Tel: +33 (0)6 20 42 12 08 clachevre@cylans.ovh Pascal Jentsch VP International Communications Tel: +33 (0)7 65 18 58 55 pascal.jentsch-ext@korian.com Marjorie Castoriadis Head of Media Relations Tel: +33 (0)7 63 59 88 81 Marjorie.castoriadis@korian.fr By Trend External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Colombo on Sunday to hold bilateral talks with Sri Lanka's top leadership and attend the seven-nation BIMSTEC summit. This is his first visit to the island nation since India extended an economic relief package to bail Sri Lanka out of the current economic crisis. "Arrived in Colombo for bilateral visit and BIMSTEC meeting. Look forward to my discussions over the next two days," he tweeted. Mr Jaishankar arrived here after concluding his visit to the Maldives during which he held discussions with the country's top leadership on wide ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation. The minister's visit to Sri Lanka and the Maldives are part of his five-day two-nation tour to the two key maritime neighbours of India to explore the possibilities of further expansion of bilateral engagements. Although Mr Jaishankar's Colombo visit is primarily for the BIMSTEC engagements, officials said he would be taking part in all important bilateral talks with the Sri Lankan leaders. Besides India and Sri Lanka, the BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. The summit is being hosted by Sri Lanka in its capacity as the chair of the grouping BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation). Lowe's, RONA, and Reno-Depot corporate stores and participating RONA dealer stores will raise funds in April to support hospitals caring for sick children This year, the campaign ambassador is Jessy Intine, Assistant Store Manager at Lowe's Grandview, in Vancouver BOUCHERVILLE, QC, March 28, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Lowe's Canada, one of Canada's leading home improvement retailers operating or servicing some 450 corporate and affiliated stores under different banners, is launching its fifth annual fundraising campaign for Children's Miracle Network (CMN) and Operation Enfant Soleil, which support 14 children's hospitals in the country. From March 28 to May 1, Lowe's, RONA, and Reno-Depot corporate stores and 32 participating RONA dealer stores will collect donations both in store and online. In Quebec, participating RONA and Reno-Depot stores will also sell Maison Enfant Soleil raffle tickets for a chance to win a new home built by Bonneville, for which Lowe's Canada is the official material supplier. Lowes Canada is launching its fifth annual fundraising campaign for Childrens Miracle Network (CMN) and Operation Enfant Soleil, which support 14 childrens hospitals in the country. This years campaign is centred around the story of a mother and daughter who are part of the Lowes Canada network: Assistant Store Manager, Jessy Intine, in Vancouver and her mother, Ramona Paul, District Manager in the Greater Toronto Area. When Jessy was diagnosed with cancer as a child, her family was devastated and turned upside down. Ramona left her job and applied for a position at Lowes where she was offered the flexibility needed to make frequent hospital visits and to take extra care of her daughter. (CNW Group/Lowe's Canada) In the last four years, Lowe's Canada donated more than $3.2 million to help hospitals that provide advanced care to sick children and support their families. "Supporting causes that matter to our associates and their families is very important to us at Lowe's Canada," said Jean-Sebastien Lamoureux, Senior Vice-President, RONA Affiliates, Wholesale, and Public Affairs at Lowe's Canada. "Each year, we see tremendous involvement in this fundraising campaign from our customers and associates, who pull together to help children in their communities receive the best care possible. And this year's campaign has a very special connection to our organization since one of our own is the campaign ambassador." A campaign that hits home: Jessy and Ramona's story This year's campaign is centred around the story of a mother and daughter who are part of the Lowe's Canada network: Assistant Store Manager, Jessy Intine, in Vancouver and her mother, Ramona Paul, District Manager in the Greater Toronto Area. When Jessy was diagnosed with cancer as a child, her family was devastated and turned upside down. Ramona left her job and applied for a position at Lowe's where she was offered the flexibility needed to make frequent hospital visits and to take extra care of her daughter. Story continues Today, both mother and daughter hope their story will build awareness for CMN's important work and help raise funds for the campaign. "I am extremely grateful to work for a company like Lowe's Canada that supports the Children's Miracle Network, allowing children like me to have a future and career opportunities," said Jessy Intine. "I'm never prouder to work for an organization such as Lowe's Canada than when I hear stories like that of Jessy and Ramona," said Marc Macdonald, Senior Vice-President, Human Resources at Lowe's Canada. "My team and I are always working on ways to improve how we support our associates. Hearing firsthand the positive impact that our work environment and HR practices had on one of our associates and her family during one of the most difficult times of their lives is the best pay I could ever ask for." To hear Jessy and Ramona's touching story, and for more information on Lowe's Canada's major philanthropic campaigns, visit https://www.lowescanada.ca/en/corporate-responsibility/communities. Lowe's Canada is currently recruiting for thousands of job opportunities throughout the country. Those looking to join an organization that puts its people's well-being first can visit lowescanada.ca/careers to view job openings and apply. To share this news on social media, please use @LowesCanadaCorp (Facebook), @Lowe's Canada (LinkedIn) and @LowesCanadaCorp (Twitter). About Operation Enfant Soleil A great unifier of Quebecers around the cause of sick children, Operation Enfant Soleil supports their healing across the province, regardless of their illness. From raising awareness to prevention, including investigations, diagnosis, the equipment used during treatments, and outpatient care at home, Operation Enfant Soleil supports children and their families through all the steps. Thanks to the amounts raised, around a hundred projects take shape each year in regional hospitals, where children can be treated near their families, as well as in major paediatric centres, which can outfit themselves with cutting-edge technologies and create welcoming spaces. To date, more than $273 million has been awarded across Quebec thanks to the generosity of our donors, the support of our volunteers, and the dedication of our partners. To learn more, visit www.operationenfantsoleil.ca/en/. About Children's Miracle Network Children's Miracle Network raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals, 14 of which are in Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, purchase pediatric medical equipment, and support research. Its various fundraising partners and programs support our mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Visit our website to learn more about our cause. In Canada, Children's Miracle Network is managed and operated by Canada's Children's Hospital Foundations. www.childrensmiraclenetwork.ca About Lowe's Canada Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE 50 home improvement company serving approximately 19 million customer transactions a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2021 sales of over $96 billion, Lowe's and its related businesses operate or service nearly 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 300,000 associates. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Lowe's Canadian business, together with its wholly owned subsidiary RONA inc., operates or services some 450 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats under different banners, which include Lowe's, RONA, Reno-Depot, and Dick's Lumber. In Canada, they have more than 26,000 associates, in addition to approximately 5,000 employees in the stores of independent affiliate dealers operating under the RONA banner. For more information, visit lowescanada.ca. SOURCE Lowe's Canada Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2022/28/c5592.html ReportLinker during the forecast period. The growth of this market is mainly driven by increase in adoption of cleaner and greener aircraft, developments in advanced air mobility and alternative sources of energy. New York, March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Aircraft Electrification Market by Technology, Component, Application, System, Platform and Region - Forecast to 2030" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05844661/?utm_source=GNW The aircraft electrification market includes major players like Honeywell International Inc. (US), Safran (France), Thales Group (France), Raytheon Technologies (US), GE Aviation (US). These players have spread their business across various countries including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. COVID-19 has impacted their businesses as well. Industry experts believe that COVID-19 could affect aircraft electrification production and services by 710% globally in 2020. Lithium-sulfur and lithium titanate batteries are fueling the battery segment which is projected to be the highest in the aircraft electrification market during the forecast period. Based on component, the battery segment is estimated to lead the market during the forecast period, with a share of 24.3% in 2021. Lithium-sulfur is one of the battery technologies competing to supersede lithium-ion as the major battery technology of the next generation. The ability of Li-S batteries to store and release energy offers an opportunity to create batteries that hold as much as five times more charge than lithium for a given size and weight of the cell. Lithium titanate or lithium titanium oxide is a type of rechargeable battery, it can charge faster than other lithium-ion batteries but has a lower energy density. The hybrid electric segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on technology, the hybrid electric segment is projected to be the highest CAGR rate for the aircraft electrification market during the forecast period.Hybrid electric technology uses both airplane fuel as well as electricity to drive the propulsion system. This technology helps reduce fuel burn, energy consumption, emissions, and noise for single-aisle passenger aircraft. Solar-powered and fuel-powered are two types of power sources available in hybrid propulsion. The power generation segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on application, the power generation segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR rate for the aircraft electrification market during the forecast period.In an aircraft, power is generated with the support of an integrated drive generator, a variable frequency generator, an auxiliary power unit, and an external ground power unit. In conventional aircraft, power is generated using mechanical hydraulic and pneumatic systems, while in advanced aircraft, power is generated by an electric generator. Key aircraft manufacturers prefer integrated drive generators over variable frequency generators in wide-body aircraft and very large aircraft, as these generators are more reliable and efficient. The business and general aviation segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on platform, the business and general aviation segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR rate for the aircraft electrification market during the forecast period. The growth of the business & general aviation segment of the market can be attributed to the increase in corporate profits, rise in the number of high-net-worth individuals, and an increase in the replacement demand for existing business jets with new ones. The propulsion system segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on system, the propulsion system segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR rate for the aircraft electrification market during the forecast period.Electrification of propulsion systems is expected to boost the power for take-off, thereby creating an efficient electrical replacement for a regular turbofan with a 2-megawatt liquid-cooled electric motor. Electrical propulsion systems are expected to reduce fuel burn substantially, leading to a decrease in atmospheric emissions. The North American market is projected to contribute the largest share from 2021 to 2030 The key factor responsible for North America leading the aircraft electrification market is the high demand for new aircraft in the region. The growing upcoming projects, and the emergence of several startups supporting the electrification in the aviation industry are additional factors influencing the growth of the North American aircraft electrification market. Breakdown of primaries The study contains insights from various industry experts, ranging from component suppliers to Tier 1 companies and OEMs. The break-up of the primaries is as follows: By Company Type: Tier 139%; Tier 237%; and Tier 324% By Designation: C Level35%; Directors27%; and Others38% By Region: North America55%; Europe27%; Asia Pacific9%; and Rest of the World9% The aircraft electrification market is dominated by a few globally established players such as Honeywell International Inc. (US), Safran (France), Thales Group (France), Raytheon Technologies (US), GE Aviation (US). Research Coverage The study covers the aircraft electrification market across various segments and subsegments.It aims at estimating the size and growth potential of this market across different segments based on component, technology, application, platform, system and by region. This study also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key players in the market, along with their company profiles, key observations related to their product and business offerings, recent developments undertaken by them, and key market strategies adopted by them. Reasons to Buy this Report This report is expected to help market leaders/new entrants with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall aircraft electrification market and its segments.This study is also expected to provide region-wise information about the end use, and what types of aircraft electrification components are used. This report aims at helping the stakeholders understand the competitive landscape of the market, gain insights to improve the position of their businesses and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. This report is also expected to help them understand the pulse of the market and provide them with information on key drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities influencing the growth of the market. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05844661/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 Nanophase Technologies Corporation Ed Sieracki will lead customer success and growth among brand partners in a newly created role, Vice President of Brand Partnerships Jennifer Bayon will lead customer success and growth among retail partners in a newly created role, Vice President of Licensing and Retail Partnerships ROMEOVILLE, Ill., March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nanophase Technologies Corporation (OTCQB: NANX), a leader in minerals-based and scientifically-driven health care solutions across beauty and life science categories with innovations that protect skin from environmental aggressors and aid in medical diagnostics today announced two newly-created leadership positions to accommodate growing demand and market appetite for Solesence products. Our brand partners have experienced strong growth as a result of broad market acceptance of the products that they have launched with us, commented Kevin Cureton, Chief Operating Officer at Solesence. As we grow alongside our partners, we welcome two outstanding professionals to our team, Ed Sieracki and Jennifer Bayon. The addition of these two leadership positions comes in response to clear feedback from our brand partners as we reaffirm our commitment to their growth by expanding our ability to deliver best-in-class service alongside our best-in-class products. Ed Sieracki will serve as Vice President of Brand Partnerships for both Personal Care Ingredients and Solesence Beauty Science, leading customer success to support the growth of Solesence brand partners. Sieracki brings a wealth of experience in mineral-based personal care ingredients, having served most recently as General Manager at Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI), and previously in financial functions at AMCOL International. Sieracki commented: Solesence brand partners are the future of the industry in many ways, and the innovative products they deliver to their customers are foundational to their stories. I am excited and honored to be in partnership with these leaders in skin health to help them drive the growth of their brand as they bring innovation to life in each launch. Story continues Jennifer Bayon will serve as Vice President of Licensing and Retail Partnerships, leading customer success among retail partners and establishing a licensing program as Solesence addresses increased market appetite for its patented skin health products among retailers and lifestyle brands. Before joining Solesence, Bayon served as Vice President, Business Development at Paris Presents Incorporated (PPI Beauty), where she led business growth in Asia, Latin America, and Canada. Solesence products are exceptional, ranging from best-selling makeup and cosmetics to products designed for active lifestyles, and we are uniquely positioned to help brands and retailers bring healthy skincare products to all. These incredible innovations provide ample opportunities for retailers looking to expand their commitments to wellness through mineral-based skincare and makeup, and, in the future, for licensing partnerships, commented Bayon. Cureton added: Within the last 60 days, the Company has added over two dozen team members in roles that support service to our clients. This includes customer success and supply chain positions, as well as roles that support our ongoing GMP efforts. We are delighted to see our brand partners see such great success in the market, and we remain committed to supporting their growth in any way we can. About Solesence Beauty Science Solesence Beauty Science, www.solesence.com, is changing the face of skin health with patented, mineral-based technology that is embraced by leading performance-driven and clean beauty brands alike. Their patented products for brands transform the way mineral actives look, feel and function enabling textures never-before-seen in the mineral space and inclusivity never-before-seen in the sun care space. Solesences innovative formulations offer best-in-class UV protection, unparalleled free radical prevention to protect against pollution, and enhanced antioxidant performance. About Nanophase Nanophase Technologies Corporation (OTCQB: NANX), www.nanophase.com, is a leading innovator in minerals-based and scientifically driven health care solutions across beauty and life science categories, as well as other legacy advanced materials applications. Leveraging a platform of integrated patented and proprietary technologies, the Company creates products with unique performance, enhancing consumers' health and wellbeing. We deliver commercial quantity and quality engineered materials both as ingredients and as part of fully formulated products in a variety of formats. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains words such as expects, shall, will, believes, and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements in this announcement are made based on the Companys current beliefs, known events and circumstances at the time of publication, and as such, are subject in the future to unforeseen risks and uncertainties that could cause the Companys results of operations, performance, and achievements to differ materially from current expectations expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the following: a decision by a customer to cancel a purchase order or supply agreement in light of the Companys dependence on a limited number of key customers; uncertain demand for, and acceptance of, the Companys engineered materials, ingredients, and fully formulated products; the Companys manufacturing capacity and product mix flexibility in light of customer demand; the Companys limited marketing experience; changes in development and distribution relationships; the impact of competitive products and technologies; the Companys dependence on patents and protection of proprietary information; the resolution of litigation in which the Company may become involved; the impact of any potential new government regulations that could be difficult to respond to or too costly to comply with while remaining financially viable; the ability of the Company to maintain an appropriate electronic trading venue; and other factors described in the Companys Form 10-K filed March 26, 2021. In addition, the Companys forward-looking statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates. Except as required by federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events, uncertainties, or other contingencies. CONTACT: Media Contact: Emma Harper Email: eharper@solesence.com Phone: (630) 686-1574 COMPANY CONTACT Investor Relations 630-771-6736 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 28, 2022) - Pancontinental Resources Corporation (TSXV: PUC) (OTCQB: PUCCF) ("Pancon" or the "Company") has entered into an engagement agreement (the "Engagement Agreement") with Red Cloud Securities Inc. and Paradigm Capital Inc. ( the "Agents") pursuant to which Agents will act as co-lead agents and joint bookrunners to sell up to 37,500,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$0.08 per Unit (the "Unit Price") for gross proceeds to the Company of up to C$3,000,000 (the "Offering"). Pancon President & CEO, Layton Croft, stated: "Our recently announced no-cost extension to our option to explore our flagship Brewer Gold & Copper Project through December 31, 2024 enhances our potential for success. This financing will fund new phases of geophysics and drilling, which will commence immediately and will be designed to accelerate negotiation of a potential purchase of Brewer from the Receiver." Each Unit shall consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of C$0.14 per Warrant Share at any time on or before the date which is 24 months after the Closing Date (as defined herein). In the event that the daily volume weighted average price (or closing bid price on days when there are no trades) of the common shares of the Company on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") is at least C$0.25 per common share for a minimum of twenty (20) consecutive trading days, the Company may provide written notice to holders of the Warrants requiring the holder of the Warrants to exercise the Warrants within twenty (20) days following the date of delivery of such written notice. The Company also grants the Agents an option, exercisable in full or in part up to 48 hours prior to the closing of the Offering, to sell up to an additional 6,250,000 Units at the Unit Price for additional gross proceeds of up to C$500,000. Story continues The net proceeds raised under the Offering will be used for the exploration and advancement of the Company's Brewer Gold & Copper Project and Jefferson Project in South Carolina, U.S. and for general working capital purposes. The Offering is scheduled to close on or about April 19, 2022 or such other date as may be mutually agreed upon between the Company and Red Cloud (the "Closing Date"). The completion of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the approval of the listing of the Unit Shares, Warrant Shares and the common shares of the Company issuable upon the exercise of the Broker Warrants on the TSXV. Resale of the securities of the Company distributed under the Offering will be restricted, including a statutory hold period in Canada of four months and one day following the Closing Date. The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Brewer Project Progress Pancon's exclusive option to explore and purchase the 1,000-acre Brewer property began on April 1, 2020. Since then, the Company has conducted: historic data review; mapping; geophysical surveys; rotary air blast (RAB), sonic, and core drilling; assay, multielement geochemical, spectral, and petrographic analyses; preliminary metallurgical testing; data compilation; and modeling. This work included drilling and reporting lab results for more than 9,000 meters (m) of drill samples: core (5,000 m), RAB (3,900 m), and sonic (350 m). As a result of work to date, Pancon has updated its data driven Discovery Model that identifies the most prospective parts of the Brewer gold-copper system. Next steps include induced polarization (IP) surveys in 4 target areas, followed by drilling (see Pancon's news release of February 3, 2022 and https://panconresources.com/investors/presentation/ for more information). About Pancon Pancontinental Resources Corp. (TSXV: PUC) (OTCQB: PUCCF), or Pancon, is a Canadian junior mining company exploring the rich, underexplored Carolina Slate Belt in the southeastern USA. In January 2020, Pancon won the exclusive right to explore and purchase the former Brewer Gold Mine property, with an option period through October 2023. Between 1987-1995, Brewer produced 178,000 ounces of oxide gold from open pits that extended to 65-meter depths, where gold (Au) and copper (Cu) sulphides were exposed but could not be processed by the oxide heap leach operation. Pancon's 100%-owned, 1,960-acre Jefferson Gold Project nearly completely surrounds the 1,000-acre Brewer property. The Brewer-Jefferson area of interest, in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, is 12 kilometers along trend from the producing Haile Gold Mine, which produced 190,000 ounces of gold in 2021 (www.oceanagold.com). Brewer is a large, epithermal, high sulphidation gold-copper system driven by a sub-volcanic intrusive, possibly connected to a large copper-gold porphyry system at depth. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Patrick Quigley, MSc, CPG-12116, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. For further information, please contact: Jeanny So, External Relations Manager E: info@panconresources.com T: +1.647.202.0994 For additional information please visit our new website at http://www.panconresources.com/ and our Twitter feed: @PanconResources. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. Not for Dissemination in the United States or through U.S. Newswire Services To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/118228 ReportLinker In-depth Analysis and Data-driven Insights on the Impact of COVID-19 Included in this Global Synthetic Lubricants Market Report. The global synthetic lubricants market is expected to witness stagnant growth during the forecast period. New York, March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Synthetic Lubricants Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06247889/?utm_source=GNW The consumption of synthetic lubricants is majorly driven by automotive and transport sector. The synthetic lubricants market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.48% during 2021-2027 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND TRENDS Increasing Demand for Reduction in Emission Demand For Higher Fuel Economy Vehicle Increasing Demand for High-Performance Lubricants GLOBAL SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS MARKET SEGMENTATION Automotive and transportation are the largest segment by end-use. Automotive and transportation synthetic lubricants accounted for 32.20% market share in 2021. The automotive and transportation segment is expected to register a CAGR of 3.76% during the forecast period. Advantages driving the demand for synthetic lubricants in this segment are wear and tear prevention, reduced friction, proper heat dissipation, oxidation and corrosion prevention, component stress relieving, and maintaining proper engine functionality. Segmentation by Application Engine Oil Transmission Fluids & Hydraulic Fluids Metalworking Fluids Greases Others Segmentation by End-user Power Generation Automotive & Transportation Heavy Equipment Food & Beverage Other Segmentation by Type Polyalphaolefin Esters Polyalkylene Glycol VENDOR ANALYSIS 1. Shell (US), ExxonMobil (US), British Petroleum (UK), Chevron (US), and Sinopec (China) are some of the key players in the synthetic lubricants market. The market is largely commoditized, with price serving as a significant differentiator. Manufacturers are constantly involved in developing new and sustainable products as per customer requirements and safeguard environment as well. 2. Some Developments: The FUCHS Group, had signed an agreement to acquire the lubricants business of Gleitmo Technik AB, and is expected to integrate it into its subsidiary FUCHS LUBRICANTS SWEDEN AB. Sinopec entered into the South African market by acquiring a majority stake in Chevrons lubricant facility. Shell Indonesia announced investment to double the production capacity of its lubricants oil blending plant (LOBP) located in Jakarta, Indonesia. When completed the plant would produce up to 300 million litres of finished lubricants, annually. Key Vendors Royal Dutch Shell ExxonMobil British Petroleum Chevron Sinopec Other Prominent Vendors Total Energies Fuchs Idemitsu Kosan Lukoil Petronas Indian Oil Dow Morris Lubricants Sasol Valvoline Penrite oil Bharat Petroleum Liqui Moly Peak Lubricants Amalie Oil Eni Addinol Engen Petroleum Croda International Petro-Canada Lubricants GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS APAC is the leading market for synthetic lubricants. The region accounted for 45% market share in 2021. The growth in the region is associated with the increasing demand for automotive and high-performance industrial machinery and equipment. APAC region consists of emerging as well as developed economies such as Japan, China, India, South Korea, and Australia. These countries have considerable demand for automotive, agricultural, and construction vehicles. APAC region is also a hub for the growth of new industrial developments such as advanced manufacturing, smart cities, smart construction, and so on. Segmentation by Geography North America o US o Canada Latin America o Brazil o Mexico Middle East & Africa o Saudi Arabia o UAE APAC o China o India o Japan o South Korea o Indonesia Europe o Germany o UK o France o Italy o Spain THE REPORT INCLUDES: 1. The analysis of the global Synthetic Lubricants market size and growth rate for the forecast period 2022-2027. 2. It offers comprehensive insights into current industry trends, trend forecast, and growth drivers about the global Synthetic Lubricants market. 3. The report provides the latest analysis of market share, growth drivers, challenges, and investment opportunities. 4. It offers a complete overview of market segments and the regional outlook of the Synthetic Lubricants market. 5. The report offers a detailed overview of the vendor landscape, competitive analysis, and critical market strategies to gain competitive advantage. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06247889/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 By Trend Around two dozen women and girls marched down the streets of Kabul chanting, open the schools, Trend reports citing Euronews. The protest, which only lasted less than an hour on Saturday, was in response to the opening and then immediate closure of girls secondary schools in Afghanistan earlier that week. On Wednesday, the schools for students older than 11 years old opened for the new academic year. The schools were closed for eight months prior because of COVID-19 restrictions. Then shortly after lessons began, the Taliban called for the classes to close again. According to Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, the decision brought many students to tears. "They were waiting outside their schools, but the gates were closed, and they were crying," Yousafzai said while talking to a panel about womens rights in Afghanistan. Feature highlights the County Visitors Bureau & its success in promoting safe tourism amidst the pandemic. WELLSBORO, Pa., March 28, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Visit Potter-Tioga, the County Visitors Bureau which covers the lush landscapes of north-central Pennsylvania, will be featured as a Central PA Business Leader in the upcoming editions of Forbes, Fortune, and Entrepreneur magazines. Readers will be educated on the organizations strategy in promoting safe tourism for adventurous travelers throughout the past two years. Through the eyes of Colleen Hanson, Executive Director of Visit Potter-Tioga, the feature follows the success of the Counties pandemic tourism strategy. The County Visitors Bureau promotes both Potter and Tioga Counties as destinations for travelers and in doing so, supports small businesses vital to tourism. Hanson credits these businesses for their extreme precautions, which helped keep cases to a minimum even when the areas were bustling with tourists. "I knew we had to take a chance for the sake of the businesses," Hanson says. "This is a place where people can come to vacation safely. We pushed hard to promote area attractions and wide-open spaces. With tourism as a top industry, we have been able to continue to bring visitors here and keep our residents employed." Visit Potter-Tioga hopes that the feature will reach tourists looking for places to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of their home state. The Pine-Creek Gorge, otherwise known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, is a National Natural Landmark, deep within the Tioga State Forest, while Cherry Springs State Park has been named "the best place on Earth for stargazing," by Travel Channel. Additionally, the Counties boast the Pine Creek Rail Trail, a 60-mile, scenic trail for hiking and biking, named by USA Today as one of the top five rail trails in the nation. The opportunity of this feature will also allow Visit Potter-Tioga to reach other visitors bureau executives with the importance of promoting safe tourism. Through their own efforts, Potter and Tioga Counties saw tourists flock to the areas for fresh air, hiking, biking, camping, and stargazing. Story continues The magazines showcasing Visit Potter-Tioga will be available in central Pennsylvania. About Visit Potter-Tioga Launched in July 2017, Visit Potter-Tioga was formed by a merger of the former Tioga County Visitors Bureau and the former Potter County Visitors Association. As the designated tourist promotion agency, Visit Potter-Tiogas mission is to market the area as a destination for visitors. The organization is a results-driven, membership-based organization that promotes its members businesses and area attractions across all advertising medias. For information on how your business can benefit from these marketing efforts, visit www.VisitPotterTioga.com, email info@visitpottertioga.com, or call 570-724-0635. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220328005785/en/ Contacts Colleen Hanson, Executive Director Visit Potter-Tioga colleen@visitpottertioga.com 570-724-0635 This years Jefferson Lecture on Religious Freedom at the University of Mary Washington will feature the sixth-great-grandson of the third U.S. president. Run by The Khatib Program in Religion & Dialogue, todays program will focus on Thomas Jeffersons legacy of religious freedomone that can be traced to a popular 18th-century gathering place in Fredericksburg. In 1777, Jefferson met with George Wythe, George Mason, Edmund Pendleton and Thomas Ludwell Lee at Weedons Tavern, where he drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. The Virginia General Assembly passed the landmark statute the following year. And in 1789, it became the basis for the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Keynote speaker Shannon LaNier, who will deliver the lecture Jeffersons Children: The Story of One American Family, is a descendant of Jefferson through Sally Hemings, one of the founding fathers enslaved workers. LaNier is best known for his work as a news anchor on CW39s Morning Show in Houston. Hes also a popular social media influencer. Mehdi Aminrazavi, director of the Khatib Program and professor of philosophy and religion at UMW, said he is excited to have LaNier speak at the event. I like what he had to say, Aminrazavi said. (Theres a) perception of our founding fathers and the reality of the (lives) they lived and I thought it would be good for our students to learn different understandings and narratives of Thomas Jefferson. LaNier said hes looking forward to participating in the event. Im always excited to share the story, LaNier said. Its more complex than just who I am, but its also about the American story. It has an important message and important representation for our country, so Im always excited to share my story of my family and my journey and everything that Ive gone through. During his presentation, LaNier will touch on his familys legacy and impact on the country, as well as race relations and his career. The event, open to UMW students and the public, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall, on the schools Fredericksburg campus. Both Aminrazavi and LaNier said they hope all attendees learn and grow from the event. Theres so much work that we need to do with race relations in mind and I think that we all play a role in making the world a better place, LaNier said. I hope people will think a little bit more about what their role is and how they can impact this country into the positive aspect. LaNiers lecture will open the universitys Race and Religion conference, to be held Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University Center in rooms 104 A and B. Aminrazavi will offer opening and concluding remarks. The conference will include a morning session titled Religious Freedom, Christian Nationalism, & White Supremacy: Intersections, Disparities, and Implications, Then and Now, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., with Brock Bahler, the director of Undergraduate Studies and senior lecturer at University of Pittsburgh. Arab Americans, Media Representations, and Looking Forward in a 21st Century United States will be presented from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., with Mackenzie R. Poust, a graduate student in Arab studies at Georgetown University. The afternoon session will include Black Faith and the Ethical Turn in Radical Politics, from 2 to 3 p.m. with Terrence L. Johnson, associate professor of religion and politics at Georgetown University. Ruins in the Whirlwind: Race, Religion & the Crisis of Democracy runs from 3 to 4 p.m. with Kai Parker, assistant professor of African American religious history at University of Virginia. All programs are free and open to the public. 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. University of Virginia students vote to ditch a long tradition of immediate expulsion for violators of its Honor Code is a change supporters say proves the once-staid institution continues to change for the better but others say trashes a deeply held core value. If you take [the Honor System] away from us, UVa is just a pile of red brick in Charlottesville, said Bert Ellis, who graduated from UVa in 1975 and is the CEO of Ellis Capital. Its very nice, but its not anywhere near as distinctive as it was. Ellis is the co-founder and president of the Jefferson Council, an UVa alumni group created to promote an academic environment based on open dialogue throughout the university and to preserve the Honor System, among other goals. For a university that prides itself on heritage and honor almost as much as academics and research, ending expulsion for honor offenses is another example of the school relinquishing meaningful traditions for some alumni. The conversation mirrors even larger societal discussions on crime, punishment and restoration as well as how to repair the damages of slavery and structural injustices. In recent years, the university faced uncomfortable truths about its revered founder, Thomas Jefferson; racial inequities on Grounds; the historic role of slavery at the school; and the universitys actions following the end of the Civil War, Jim Crow-era segregation and the Civil Rights movement. In just the past few years, building and school names have been changed. Statues and memorials have been removed. A Memorial to Enslaved Laborers was installed on campus in an effort to acknowledge men and women who helped build the university but could never attend it. Many students saw changing the Honor Code as part of a move toward justice for all students. It was intended to take away what we perceived as the most difficult and destructive element of the system so that future students can inherit a system that actually fosters learning, integrity, and ultimately preparation for civic service and civic involvement, said third-year law student Christopher Benos, a member of the Honor Committee. Were supposed to be teaching them so they can be productive members of society. Ending expulsion carries symbolic weight in a university community that has prided itself on the Honor Code and a community of trust. UVas academic death penalty for honor code violations set it apart from other universities. There have been efforts over the years to bring change to the honor system because it really represents a core element of the university brand, Benos said. Thats why it was so difficult to change. On whose honor The code calls for expulsion if a student is found guilty of cheating, lying or stealing. In the 1950s, there was even a Bad Check Committee formed to keep trust between students and the community at large. The first expulsion for a violation was in 1851. Although traditionally run by a small committee of students or even the entire student body rules changed over time the current system was established in 1977 when Student Council approved a constitution for the Honor Committee to follow. While the single sanction is steeped in tradition, support for it has been waning among alumni and students in recent decades. Some see it as draconian, and others think it leads to under-reporting of cheating. The recent election is not the first time students voted on dropping expulsion. In 2013, students approved informed retraction, which provided a lesser one-year sanction to students who admitted guilt after being accused. In 2016, abolishing expulsion failed by 1 percent of votes cast. The debate fomented. Last fall, the honor committee began debating the issue and expulsion was once again put to a vote. About 24% of the study body turned out, which is higher than recent elections. Nearly 80% of students voted to upend the system. The change took immediate effect and the Honor Committee paused all hearings until its bylaws are amended to address the change. Under the new rules, students will face a one-year suspension if they are found guilty, the same penalty currently for those who admit guilt. Trust or consequences Supporters say ending expulsion makes the code more restorative than punitive. Critics say it moves the university away from a community of trust. Absolute honor is not something that the students and the faculty and the administration want to stand up for, Ellis said. And thats a real shame. It was a huge distinction, a badge that every graduate was very proud of, until recently. Ellis said he faults the university administration with not making sure that incoming students understood the importance of that community and the overall Honor System. President Jim Ryan told the Board of Visitors earlier this month that he wouldnt have voted for the measure if he were a student. I believe its a mistake to replace a single sanction of expulsion with a single sanction of suspension that carries with it an automatic right of readmission regardless of the severity of the offense or whether students have accepted responsibility or whether theyve made amends, Ryan said at a March 16 alumni panel. I believe we should ask more of our students. Ryan said he preferred a system in which readmission is allowed only if students can show theyve learned from the incident or made amends. Ryan said the Honor System is the epitome of the tradition of student self-governance and that the change may invigorate the system. The fact that they did [change] may be worrisome to some, but accepting student self-governance means accepting that students will sometimes make decisions that their elders would not have made, he said. More than rich, white dudes Not all members of the Honor Committee supported the switch. Andy Chambers, a fourth-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences and Honor Committee chairman, opposed the changes. This is going to do more harm than its going to do good, and maybe in the best case scenario, it is true neutral, Chambers said, adding that the change is another nail in the coffin for the Honor System. He agrees that the Honor System is in need of reform. Juries sometimes find peers not guilty because of the harsh consequence and faculty members sometimes do not report honor offenses because of the time-intensive process, he said. So far this calendar year, the Honor Committee has received zero reports, he said. Some of the problems could be remedied if the university developed new ways to gain student buy-in for the honor system, Chambers said. When youre selling this to a population of rich white dudes from the South, its pretty straightforward and worked pretty well, he said. But the student body is just way too diverse to sell the same old messaging anymore. Chambers said he spent the 2021 summer getting administrators and alumni on board with a multi-sanction system. His fellow committee members didnt go for it, however, and the referendum push continued. Before the vote, alumni were calling me all the time asking about the expulsion provision, how it could be stopped and what he was doing about it. Chambers said he also felt pressure from some administrators to do his best to ensure the measures defeat. Big change for a small few The vote may upend a long-cherished notion of trust but the daily impacts of the change are minor. Ending expulsion affects a small percentage of students. According to the Cavalier Daily, 1,104 students were expelled by the Honor Committee from 1919 to 2014. Only five were found guilty from 2017 to 2020, according to committee data. Historically, Asian students have been disproportionately affected by the system, regularly making up about 20% of reports to the committee over the last four school years while comprising on 13% of students. The biggest effect may be on alumni, many of whom are big donors and who value the UVa tradition they say sets the institution apart from others. Benos, an undergraduate alumnus, believes students chose a new tradition that better serves students. He is proud of the vote and the committees work to make what he sees as positive change. UVa has gone through a reckoning in the past decade, a reckoning about race, a reckoning about inequity, a reckoning about affordability, and ultimately a reckoning about what we want our university to look like moving forward, Benos said. But as Chambers prepares to graduate, he said hes not at all proud of the state of the Honor System or a lot of things about UVa. In protest of the vote, he locked up the rocking chair outside his Lawn room, symbolically preventing the honor crime of theft. Clearly 80% people thought they were close enough to an honor offense that they would want a lesser sanction for it, he said. Fremont Police officers responded to the 500 block of East Sixth Street at about 11:53 a.m. March 25 in reference to a possible home invasion in progress. The caller advised an unknown male party was trying to enter the residence. Officers arrived and determined the complaint to be valid and had contact with Andrew T. Egan, 21, of Fowler, Colorado, who appeared to be intoxicated. Egan was arrested for trespassing, disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The United Nations Security Council has expressed deep concern after the Taliban-led government ordered girls be denied access to high school education amid reports of further restrictions on women and media, including a fresh ban on news bulletins by the BBC and Voice of America (VOA). "The members of the Security Council...reaffirmed the right to education for all Afghans, including girls," a statement on March 27 from the United Nations said. On March 23, Taliban officials extended a nationwide ban on girls' education beyond sixth grade that was imposed after Taliban militants took over most of the country as U.S.-led international troops withdrew and the UN-backed government in Kabul fled. The United States abruptly canceled meetings with the Taliban in Doha that were set to address key economic issues because of the decision, U.S. officials said on March 25. The Security Council asked Deborah Lyons, the UN Special Representative for Afghanistan, to engage with relevant Afghan authorities and stakeholders on the issue and report back on progress. UN and other international observers have repeatedly warned of abuses under the seven-month-old regime of girls and women, including draconian limits on their movement, freedom to work or travel, or ability to carry out even the simplest daily aspects of public life. AFP reports the Taliban has ordered airlines in Afghanistan to stop women from boarding flights unless accompanied by a male relative. Two officials from Afghanistan's Ariana Afghan airline and Kam Air said late on March 27 that the Taliban had ordered them to stop allowing women to board if they were traveling alone. The decision was taken after a meeting on March 24 between representatives of the Taliban, the two airlines, and airport immigration authorities, the officials told AFP, asking not to be named. A part of the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan tasked with enforcing adherence to strict Islamic fundamentalism said it had not issued any directive banning women from taking flights alone. But a letter issued by a senior official of Ariana Afghan to the airline's staff after the meeting with the Taliban, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, confirmed the new measure. "No women are allowed to fly on any domestic or international flights without a male relative," the letter said. On March 27, the Taliban's Ministry For the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice ordered that all Kabul venues with rides and games should be opened to women and girls from Sundays through Tuesdays and to boys and men on Wednesdays through Saturdays. There is no exception for families on the ministry's timetable. "The Taliban regime is now officially a gender apartheid authoritarian police state," Tamim Asey, executive chairman of The Institute of War and Peace Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations of Afghanistan, said after the parks ban was announced, adding, "The regime while a de facto reality...merits no recognition and legitimacy." Meanwhile, BBC Pashtu reported on March 27 that the broadcaster's news bulletins in the Pashto, Persian, and Uzbek languages had been taken off the air in Afghanistan. "The BBC's TV news bulletins in Pashto, Persian and Uzbek have been taken off air in Afghanistan, after the Taliban ordered our TV partners to remove international broadcasters from their airwaves," Tarik Kafala, head of languages at the BBC World Service, said in a statement. "We call on the Taliban to reverse their decision and allow our TV partners to return the BBC's news bulletins to their airwaves immediately." The UN National Assistance Mission in Afghanistan described the action against international media as "another chilling development." "Taliban instruct Afghan media to suspend any further transmission of international media broadcasts. Another repressive step against the people of Afghanistan," the UN mission tweeted. Meanwhile, a source at Afghan media giant MOBY Group told the German dpa news agency that it had stopped broadcasting VOA material as of March 27, following orders by the Taliban's intelligence agency. Earlier, Information and Culture Ministry spokesman Abdul Haq Hammad confirmed to dpa that VOAs television broadcasts on Afghan channels had been stopped. However, the U.S.-funded broadcasters radio station remained operational in Afghanistan and no decision had been taken to block it. With reporting by AFP and dpa Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers on Monday joined other state leaders and law enforcement officials in saying that a fentanyl bill introduced last week by the Colorado Legislature "does not go far enough." In a statement, he said that the bill which targets drug dealers by proposing increased criminal penalties "does not adequately address the nature and extent of the fentanyl problem in the state." The statement comes as some other officials, including Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen, press for harsher penalties for fentanyl possession. Fatal overdoses involving the drug have skyrocketed since 2015, the product of shifting economics and priorities within the illicit drug trade accelerated by the pandemic. More than 800 Coloradans died after ingesting fentanyl in 2021, according to state data. That represents a roughly 50% increase from 2020 and more than triple the number of deaths from 2019. Under the legislation of House Bill 1326, any possession of fentanyl with an intent to distribute, no matter how much, is a minimum class 2 drug felony, a charge that can result in imprisonment of two to four years, plus fines of $2,000 to $500,000. Simple possession of up to 4 grams remains a misdemeanor offense. While he commended lawmakers for "attempting to fix the problem," Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen told The Gazette that he doesn't know what could justify allowing possession of up to 4 grams of fentanyl to remain a misdemeanor. The Colorado Legislature needs to start listening more to law enforcement and others responsible for public safety, and less to organizations whose objective it is to minimize the consequences for criminal behavior, Suthers said in his statement. The Denver Gazette contributed to this report. Five students from the Pikes Peak region are among hundreds of recipients of the Daniels Fund Scholarship Program, which provides up to $100,000 toward a student's college undergraduate degree. This year, 240 students were selected as scholars from Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming, the nonprofit announced Monday. Colorado had the most recipients at 130. Founded by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, the Denver-based scholarship program covers educational expenses after scholarships and financial aid for graduating high school seniors to attend nonprofit colleges and universities across the nation. Students are selected based on their demonstration of exceptional character, leadership, commitment to the community, academic performance and promise, well-roundedness and emotional maturity. The 2022 Pikes Peak region recipients are: Madeline Wiseman, Colorado Springs Early Colleges. Tylor Huff, Doherty High School. William Pado, Doherty High School. Justin Fauson, St. Mary's High School. Alayna Schoepp, The Classical Academy - College Pathways. With this years announcement, more than 4,800 students have received the Daniels scholarship, the nonprofit said. At any given time, nearly 1,000 Daniels scholars are attending some 200 colleges and universities nationwide. Since 2000, the program has awarded more than $235 million in scholarships. For a complete list of the winners, visit danielsfund.org/2022DanielsScholars. Less than a year on the job, Woodland Park School District RE-2 Superintendent Mathew Neal has cast his net toward a larger sea of students. Neal is one of three finalists being considered to lead the Anchorage School District in Alaska, according to the districts website. The district serves 43,500 students and employs a staff of 6,000, making it the state's largest, its website says. Woodland Parks official enrollment this academic year is 1,832 students nearly 1,000 students fewer than the 2009-2010 academic year, according to Colorado Department of Education data. Neal did not respond to a phone request; the top three candidates toured the Anchorage district on Monday, met with students and staff, and interviewed with board members, according to a posted schedule. The finalists are attending a community town hall Tuesday night. The other top contenders are Frank Hauser, superintendent of the Sitka School District in Southeast Alaska; and Jharrett Bryantt, executive officer in the Office of Talent at the Houston Independent School District in Texas. Neal said in his application thats been made public that the job is an excellent match for him professionally and "a little bit of a dream come true." Hes also worked in Denver Public Schools and in Durango. Should Neal, who was born and raised in Colorado, be offered the position and accept it, his departure would be a big loss for Woodland Park RE-2, board President David Rusterholtz said Monday. "Mathew Neal has all of the expertise and experience to do things that Woodland Park really needs," he said. "Woodland Park has great infrastructure, wonderful teachers, administrators and other staff, and he has all the skills we need to improve the quality of education for the kids. "I would be very disappointed if he left I think that would not benefit our district in any way whatsoever." Neal was one of four finalists for Woodland Park RE-2 superintendent, when previous board members hired him in March 2021. He was superintendent of American Creativity Academy in Hawally, Kuwait, and began the job in Woodland Park on July 1, 2021. Neal replaced Steve Woolf, whose superintendent contract was terminated in November 2020 following an arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol. He had led the district for two years. Woodland Park RE-2 encompasses five schools in Teller County, where three times as many Republicans are registered as active voters compared with the number of active registered Democrats, according to the Teller County Clerk and Recorders Office. Neal has had "a good relationship" with the school board, Rusterholtz said. Rusterholtz is one of four newcomers who won seats on the five-member board last November. But since the election, the four self-described conservatives on the nonpartisan board have come under fire for the direction the board is taking. Upwards of 260 students, parents, teachers and community members showed up at the March 9 board meeting to protest criticisms a few members levied against the teachers' union, for example. Other controversies have included prayer at meetings, what some called derogatory remarks a board member made to middle school students, potentially leasing part of the middle school to a charter school that the former board rejected for charter authorization, changes to a self-directed student technology platform and a developing opt-out policy for parents. Rusterholtz attributes the national media attention the latter gained to Neal catching the attention of headhunters. While spring is typically when school districts search for new superintendents, Rusterholtz said recruiters began courting Neal after he was interviewed last month on Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends First. The segment spotlighted an RE-2 policy that the board is creating so that parents could opt their children out of lessons that reference sexual contact, graphic violence, profanity, drug use and materials that may be polarizing along racial, ethnic or religious lines. Alternate learning materials would be provided to students opting out, Neal said, to meet state academic standards. The Fox & Friends host noted the districts mission statement on the concept: "The goal here is student achievement, not validating a specific point of view." Neal said the issue is about "giving parents choice, letting teachers teach and transparency." When teachers "get close to the edge of a controversial subject," they would ask an administrator for approval to broach the subject, he said, in explaining the policy. "We've had to be really explicit about our parents' support of our teachers," Neal said. "Having that partnership back and forth is the backbone to teaching itself, whether it's mask mandates, whether we give a snow day," Neal said. "Across America, that partnership at times is broken," he said. "In the Woodland Park School District, were making an effort to make sure thats a solid partnership between parents and teachers." Said Rusterholtz, "I hope he stays." BLOCKED FROM POSTING LINKS TO THIS VERY NEWS SITE ON FACEBOOK (its executives involved in case since 1996/1997 - far before one even existed... The Social Development Bank (SDB) has announced the allocation of SR11 billion ($2.9 billion) to finance in Saudi Arabia in the next three years. The announcement came during its participation in the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Riyadh, reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha'at) in cooperation with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), GEC is being held under the theme "Reboot, Rethink and Regenerate" from March 27 to 30. The bank signed on the sidelines of the conference, several agreements with various strategic bodies, that aim to provide training, rehabilitation, and sponsorship services to the beneficiaries of male and female entrepreneurs. The bank was also keen to initiate effective communication with the guests and visitors of the conference and introduce its services as well as financial and non-financial programs to them, through the banks pavilion in the exhibition accompanying the conference. Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. A former Boy Scouts leader is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy at a downtown Colorado Springs hotel late last year, according to recently obtained court documents. Anthony Lee Fruzia, 49, was arrested after police alleged he sexually assaulted the 14-year-old boy in a room at The Antlers hotel, an arrest warrant states. The boy's father allowed his son to stay with Fruzia the night of Dec. 30 because he "trusted" Fruzia, the document states. It also indicates the boy's father and Fruzia have known each other throughout the years. The arrest warrant states that the boy was sleeping on the couch in the room when Fruzia asked the boy come to bed with him. Fruzia sexually assaulted the boy that night, the document states. After the assaults, Fruzia told the boy "his life would be ruined" if the boy "said anything," the arrest warrant alleges. According to the New York Daily News, Fruzia was named in a 2020 federal lawsuit that alleges he abused an 11-year-old boy when he was an assistant scout leader in Lake Dallas, Texas. The complaint also said Fruzia tried to prostitute the boy to other adults, the news outlet reported. The 43-page lawsuit details the stories of eight men who claimed they were sexually assaulted by Boy Scouts of America leaders as children, while the organization kept quiet. Fruzia is named as one of the scout leaders in the complaint. Fruzia told investigators he believed the December sexual encounter at The Antlers was consensual, his arrest warrant states. He also told investigators that he preferred boys between 13 and 20 years old, "but there are some occasional people that are younger," adding that he's not into "little kids." The arrest warrant states that Fruzia said it was "nice" to have sex with the boy because it'd been 10 years since he had sex with anyone. "Anthony stated his hormones took over and he wasn't able to say no," the document says. "Anthony again stated he didn't want to go to jail and he did not want to be a registered sex offender." Colorado Springs started an investigation into the alleged sexual assault Feb. 11. Fruzia was arrested 10 days later in Denton, Texas, where he was living, police there said. He was booked in the El Paso County jail on March 13, records show. Fruzia, who is accused of sexually assaulting a child in a position of trust, posted a $10,000 bond on Friday, records show. He has a preliminary hearing on April 21. National Grain Company, a joint venture between Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (Salic) and Bahri, a global leader in logistics and transportation, has awarded a contract to Haif Trading & Construction Company for building a grain terminal at Yanbu Commercial Port. Among the most ancient ports on the Red Sea, Yanbu is located about halfway between Jeddah Islamic Port and King Fahad Industrial Port to the south and Dhuba Port to the north. Its strategic importance comes from the fact that the port is a main gateway to Madinah. As per the contract signed in the presence of Engineer Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al Fadley, the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Haif will build the grain terminal in Yanbu Commercial Port with a storage capacity of 156,000 tonnes in the first phase. It will consist of 12 silos with a total capacity of 96,000 tonnes and a flat warehouse with a capacity of 60,000 tonnes. The terminal will also include a conveyor belt with a length of 650 m, unloading equipment with 800 tonnes per hour of discharge capacity, and a dedicated area for loading trucks and packaging, leveraging the latest technologies, said the statement from National Grain Company. National Grain Company was set up by leading Saudi groups Salic and Bahri in 2020 to help contribute to achieving the food security strategy. On completion, the Yanbu grain terminal will be able to handle, store, and distribute up to 3 million tonnes of grains annually, including barley, corn and soybeans, it stated. National Grain Company Chairman Nasser Abdulrahman Al Issa and Haif Trading & Construction Company CEO Engineer Mansour bin Haif sealed the agreement at a key ceremony held in Riyadh. It was attended by Saudi Grains Organization Governor Ahmad bin Abdulaziz Al Fares, Salic CEO Engineer Sulaiman bin Abdulrahman Al Rumaih and Bahri CEO Engineer Abdullah Ali Al Dubaikhi. Speaking at the ceremony, Al Fadley said the project is aimed at accelerating the origination and discharge of the essential grains to the kingdom through this terminal, which will be the first regional centre for grains in the commercial port of Yanbu. "Salic relies on the diversification of ports geographical location and infrastructures to enhance the food distribution in the region by connecting the kingdom with the global sources of grains," stated the minister. "In addition, the terminal contributes to importing, transporting, and distributing grains by enhancing the supply chains capabilities in Saudi Arabia and providing logistic support for all importers from the public and private sectors," he added.-TradeArabia News Service White, left-wing activists claim they know whats best for minorities. They cloak their condescending, authoritative agendas in feigned compas Former Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams, left, now a Colorado Springs City Council member, and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser head the Ginsburg-Scalia project. A new anti-drug super PAC based in Colorado said it will target legislative and congressional campaigns nationwide to combat candidates who support marijuana legalization and boost those who oppose drug use. Protect Our Kids PAC's first salvo is aimed at U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican congresswoman from South Carolina, over her support for federally decriminalizing marijuana use. The group hopes to unseat the congresswoman in the GOP primary, according to Luke Niforatos, the groups chief executive officer. In Colorado, the group is backing Rep. Yadira Caraveos bid to defeat primary rivals in the hotly contested 8th Congressional District, which covers portions of Adams, Weld and Larimer counties. The seat is considered the states most evenly divided congressional district. The goal is not to roll back legalization tomorrow but to not be a rubber stamp for the marijuana industry, Niforatos told Colorado Politics. The goal is to hold them accountable, regulate them tightly and do a better job of protecting our kids. In addition to backing Caraveoscampaign in Colorado, Protect Our Kids PAC also supports state Rep. Lauren Davis, who is seeking reelection in Washington state; former federal prosecutor Mike Stuart, who is running for the state Senate in West Virginia; and, Rep. Kim Moser, who is seeking reelection in Kentucky. Niforatos said the group is spending five figures he declined to divulge how much against Mace, who introduced legislation to end Congress 85-year prohibition on marijuana use and let states decide whether to embrace its use and in what form. Mace argued its time for the federal government to (codify) this reality, referring to states embracing the drug. In a statement, Mace said the legislation takes special care to keep Americans and their children safe while ending federal interference with state cannabis laws. (Mace has) become the Republican face of marijuana legalization in a district and a state that has no marijuana legalization at all, Niforatos said. Shes not putting families first. Shes not putting parents and kids first, and so were just going to make sure that her primary voters know about that. The groups digital ads depict Mace as prioritizing marijuana use over more pressing issues. Is more weed in your neighborhood your priority? Because its hers, the ad says. Protect Our Kids PAC hopes to influence electoral contests as more states embrace the use of marijuana as a recreational drug or for medical purposes. The pace of that policy change has quickened in the last several years. In 2011, no state had legalized recreational marijuana. Today, 18 states permit recreational use of the drug, while 37 states, plus four territories and the District of Columbia, allow for its medical use. The bulk of the battle over marijuana, which remains federally prohibited, occurs in states. Supporters argue that marijuanas adverse effects are modest compared to other drugs, that it should be regulated like alcohol, that society widely accepts its use, and that the war on drugs is incarcerating too many Americans, with harmful repercussions for families and a high prison price tag for states. Critics argue that the societal costs lost productivity, hospitalization, addiction, among others dwarf the benefits of legalizing marijuana. They also argue that legalization exposes children and teenagers to the pernicious threat of addiction, with serious short and long-term consequences for their health. Niforatos, who also serves as executive vice president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, said Protect Our Kids PAC adopts a two-pronged approach support candidates who critically look at drug use and spend against candidates on the opposite end of that spectrum. He added that his group is non-partisan, targeting both Republicans and Democrats alike, depending on their position on drug use. In particular, his group, which he describes parent-led, seeks to advance the voices of families whose children have been lost to marijuana addiction or other drug issues, Niforatos said. They are the ones leading this, and this is really, I think, kind of in line with the movement of parents rising up across the country, trying to protect their families and protect their kids, he said. Thats what were going to be seeking to unleash the power of parents. Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction has announced the groundbreaking of the Tuwaiq Casting & Forging factory in Ras Al Khair region of the kingdom with a total capacity to produce 60,000 tonnes of castings and forgings per year. Tuwaiq Casting & Forging is a joint venture between Doosan Heavy, Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company (Dussur) and Saudi Aramco Development Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of global energy giant Saudi Aramco, which was set up in January this year. The foundry and forging plant is being set up at the King Salman Shipbuilding Complex near Jubail area in eastern Saudi Arabia at an investment of 1 trillion-won ($834 million). It is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025. The factory, , will manufacture cast and forged materials used for pumps and valves for petrochemical plants in Saudi Arabia, and equipment for shipbuilding and offshore plants, said a spokesman from Doosan. Equipped with integrated production lines, including steel making, casting and forging and processing, the new Tuwaiq plant will come up on a 400,000 sq m area. Once operational, it is set to become Saudi Arabias largest casting and forging facility, he stated. Major product lines from the facility will include casting and forging materials for pumps and valves used at petrochemical plants and for equipment used in shipbuilding and offshore plants in Saudi Arabia, stated the spokesman. In the long term, the partners intend to expand the product mix of the facility to cover power generation plants and wind power plants, he added. Speaking at the groundbreaking, Ras Al Khair Industrial Park CEO Ahmed bin Mohammed Hassan said: "The foundry and forging plant construction is the kingdom's first project and is part of a joint effort to build a complete value chain with coastal industrial production, thereby extending this value chain from Saudi raw materials on land to end products such as excavators and ships." "With this project, not only are we casting basic steel parts for the offshore yards of the industrial city of Ras Al Khair, but also the entire kingdom. We have confirmed that we are aiming to mold the general energy products and service requirements of," he noted. Mohammed Hassan said through this project, Saudi Arabia aims to create 1,400 new job opportunities in the local community with a Saudiization ratio of more than 50%. The plan is to contribute to the increase of domestic products in the kingdom, he added.-TradeArabia News Service The NCAR fire in south Boulder had burned nearly 200 acres and was 35% contained, fire officials said Sunday. The blaze broke out Saturday afternoon near the National Center for Atmospheric Research, prompting an estimated 19,000 people to evacuate in the San Souci community, the Eldorado Springs area, part of the Table Mesa neighborhood and the University of Colorado Boulder's south campus. By 5 p.m. Sunday, authorities had lifted all evacuations. The fire burned about 60 acres by Saturday afternoon, then grew to around 120 acres by Saturday night. On Sunday afternoon, it had burned 189 acres. The blaze came within 1,000 yards of homes, yet no buildings had been destroyed and no injuries had been reported as of Sunday afternoon. "We're going to continue to try to corral this fire up into the rocks (and) into the snow, which is really one of our big holding features right now," Smith said. He added: "The intensity of this fire in a few places was pretty high. But for the most part, this is a low intensity fire." About 150 firefighters from around 30 agencies battled the fire Sunday as aircraft doused the flames from the air. "We have resources from all over the Front Range coming in and working on this," Smith said. Investigators have not determined what caused the fire. "The sheriff's department is actively working on it. I think we got the area, the origin area, identified but we don't have an actual cause yet," Smith said. In late December, the Marshall fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses in Boulder County and killed two residents. In terms of property loss, it was the most destructive wildfire in state history. "These are two different animals," Smith said. "It's a little bit apples and oranges (to compare the NCAR and Marshall fires) because of wind speed and location." "Right now, we're in a good position," he added. "The wind speeds are nothing like they were during (the) Marshall (fire). We got a lot of good resources in place. We have full structure protection groups as well as assets up on the hill. I think as long as the weather does what it's supposed to do today and tomorrow, we're going to be in good shape." Approximately 165 people attended the 2022 Mitchell County Ag Breakfast, which served as a highlight to National Ag Week in the county. According to a press release, the primary goal of the breakfast was for farmers, businesses, universities and community members to join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture in the county, and to promote community education and participation in agriculture while providing a networking forum for participants. Another goal was to raise money for continued agricultural education through the 4-H program in Mitchell County while involving youth in the breakfast. This years contributions will reduce enrollment fees for 4-Hers by approximately $5 per member during the 2022-2023 4-H year. 4-H and FFA members attended the breakfast and helped with setup, serving and cleanup. The first speaker was Ann Johanns. Johanns serves Iowa State University Extension and Outreach as an Extension Program Specialist. In this role, Johanns coordinates the extensive library of materials available on the Ag Decision Maker website, conducts research on emerging agricultural issues, and supports educational efforts across the state with the farm management team. She has a passion for sharing unbiased data and resources with agricultural producers and landowners to help them make more informed decisions, according to the press release. Johanns shared resources and information found on the Ag Decision Maker website www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm that supports producers and landowners. Another discussion point she visited was leasing agreements and relationships between tenants and owners. Lastly, she addressed cover crops for conservation along with other practices and the new hot topic of carbon markets. The second speaker was Aaron Putze, who serves as Senior Director of Information and Education for the Ankeny-based Iowa Soybean Association. He and the 13-member I and E team oversee the associations communications, marketing, industry relations, producer services and agricultural awareness activities supporting Iowas over 37,000 soybean farmers. According to the press release, Putzes presentation, titled "Shift to a New Gear" was a lively and interactive keynote celebrating the incredible productivity of Iowa and Mitchell County farmers while offering four keys for shifting to new gears and new successes in 2022. To be a part of the event in 2023, contact the Mitchell County Extension and Outreach office. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LOS ANGELES It took place three years before the fateful Jeff Fortenberry fundraiser that has the nine-term Nebraska congressman facing a federal trial. But it was singed on Alexandra Kendricks brain. The political fundraising consultant who counts Fortenberry among her many elected clients testified Monday that she will never forget taking a phone call in 2013. From the other end of the phone, the host of a fundraising party for then-Rep. Jack Kingston relayed some horrifying news to Kendrick: All the money they raised at a fundraiser was dirty, siphoned to the campaign through a foreigner. Different nationalities had been at the fundraiser. The FBI was involved. And she remembers precisely where she was when she got that phone call: at an Atlanta T.J. Maxx, the discount department store. In the purse section. That call felt like an hour it was probably five minutes, Kendrick said. Its just a worst-case scenario. Its like a betrayal. It stuck with her. So much so that in early 2016, she hesitated over several factors connected with a fundraiser that was being thrown for Fortenberry in suburban Los Angeles. There were some red flags, Kendrick said. I had many concerns. For one, we werent given an RSVP list before the event. ... Thats not normal. I was apprehensive. She said she shared that story as a sort of storm warning to Fortenberry. But she doesnt remember his reaction. She just remembers her apprehension. Whether Fortenberry shared, or should have shared, that apprehension is the focus of a trial in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom. A jury will decide whether Fortenberry is guilty of three felonies: that he tried to conceal illegal foreign donations and that he lied during two interviews with FBI agents investigating such contributions to his campaign. The trial is expected to wrap up Wednesday or Thursday. Monday afternoon, Dr. Eli Ayoub took the stand and admitted to funneling Nigerian billionaire Gilbert Chagourys cash to Fortenberrys campaign. He gave a rich detail: the cash from Chagoury came in a brown paper bag. A go-between handed the money to Ayoub, who set the bag of cash in the back seat of his car. After arriving for lunch following a funeral, Ayoub handed his keys to a valet and went inside the restaurant. Then he remembered: the brown bag of $30,000 cash was still sitting on the seat. So you left $30,000 cash in the back seat of your car? Prosecutor Mack Jenkins asked. Yes, I remembered I forgot it in the car during lunch, and I was very nervous about it, Ayoub testified. Kendrick, a key witness for the government, was nervous about something else. Her client, Fortenberry, finally felt like he had gotten recognition for a cause he had been championing for years: the protection of Christians and other religious minorities who are subjected to religious persecution in the Middle East. Kendrick said Fortenberry, a Republican representing Nebraskas 1st District, felt his mission in Congress was acting on behalf of those folks. Among those religious minorities are the Yazidis, who were persecuted, abused and sometimes killed by IS members. About 3,000 Yazidis have resettled in Lincoln and Fortenberry says Lincoln has the largest population of Yazidis outside of Iraq. Fortenberry often said that it is a constituency that has no natural elected official. After introducing congressional resolutions of support for such religious minorities, Fortenberry was about to get financial recognition. He was excited because he finally had a group of people who were willing to financially support him to thank him for the work that he had done, Kendrick said. Whether Fortenberry should have sensed that he was getting dirty money was a subject for several of the trials witnesses. Kendrick said the lead-up to the Feb. 20, 2016, L.A. fundraiser blared all sorts of sirens to her. Biggest thing: She couldnt get the fundraisers host, Ayoub, to tell her who was attending. She knew the attendees included a number of nationalities. The event for Kingston, a former Georgia congressman, involved several Palestinians, Kendrick said. Fortenberrys attorney, John Littrell, noted that many of the Fortenberry events attendees were U.S citizens of Lebanese descent. Littrell asked Kendrick if her real concern amounted to racial profiling. Was she simply concerned because the fundraiser involved Lebanese people? It was more than that, Kendrick said. Any time you cant get a list of names and know where the money is coming from its concerning for a multitude of reasons. Frustrated, she eventually sent a brief to Fortenberry outlining the upcoming fundraiser with this asterisk: *We have been unable to get an rsvp list from the hosts. Kendrick referred in court Monday to that asterisk as one-part call for help, one-part cover my bottom. She said her concerns were threefold: whether anyone would attend the fundraiser; whether any money would be raised after all the work to get to LA; and, most importantly, whether the fundraiser would comply with Federal Election Commission laws, especially against foreign money. At the time, the limit on individual donations was $2,700 per individual or $5,400 from couples. In turn, Kendrick set up a table at the back entrance of the home. Required campaign forms were there, she said, because she didnt want a repeat of the Kingston episode. She collected names and forms and money. Lots of it: $36,000. It was in the top tier of fundraisers, Kendrick said. Kendrick and Fortenberry were thrilled until Fortenberry noticed something. At least a half-dozen of the donations came from either Ayoub or his relatives. Ayoub and his wife wrote a check for $10,000. In the wake of that discovery, Fortenberry asked Toufic Baaklini, who described himself Monday as the in-between who passed along Chagourys money, if there was anything wrong with the fundraiser. Baaklini said he assured them there was not. Later Monday, Ayoub, 77, took the stand. He described his long-ago connection to Nebraska. The ear-nose-and-throat specialist received his training at Creighton University, spending nine formative years of his career in Omaha. Some 30 years later, the Los Angeles physician got involved with In Defense of Christians the group supporting religious minorities in the Middle East. Eventually, Ayoub doled out more of Chagourys money to other politicians campaigns: $50,000 to former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, $30,000 to California Rep. Darrell Issa, and $20,000 to former Nebraska Rep. Lee Terry. Those elected officials disgorged the money the official term for purging dirty donations from a campaign, usually by turning them over to charity. Fortenberry took more than two years to do the same. Ayoub said he initially didnt disclose anything about Fortenberry or the 2016 fundraiser to FBI agents. In fact, it wasnt until he received a March 2018 text message from Fortenberry that he informed the FBI that he had funneled Chagourys money to a fourth politician: Fortenberry. Jenkins asked Ayoub, now cooperating with prosecutors, if he knew what he was doing was wrong. At that time, I believed it was illegal, but I was too blinded by the events in the Middle East, by the persecution of the Christians in the Middle East, Ayoub told jurors. I failed myself, I failed my friends and I failed my values. What I did was against my values. Littrell did what the defense team has done with all prosecution witnesses. He tried to: 1) establish that Fortenberry was never expressly told about Chagourys money; and 2) get each witness to vouch for Fortenberrys character. Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. blanched at those efforts. Typically, witnesses are not permitted to testify to the general character of a defendant. In other words, judges wont allow hes a good guy testimony, just as they wont allow hes a bad guy testimony. Littrell: Fortenberry is an honest person? Kendrick: Yes. Littrell: He is a law-abiding person? Kendrick: Yes. Littrell: He is a devout Catholic. You are a devout Catholic? Kendrick: Trying to be. Littrell: He helped you on your faith journey? Finally, prosecutors objected. The judge sustained the objection, ordering jurors to disregard commentary on Fortenberrys reputation. That is essentially (character) testimony by the defense, Blumenfeld said sternly. You should move on. Testimony Tuesday is expected to turn to prosecutors allegations that Fortenberry lied in two interviews with the FBI over the investigation into the fundraiser. Fortenberry denies he lied. It is not yet clear whether he will take the stand. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For judges to do a good job they need either experience or a degree (knowledge) in computing Which of these would invalidate the senate candidate's feelings? Quote: A) Most of the public policy questions in this area are really about the morality and the value of scientific and technological developments. They do not require much technical understanding beyond that of a layperson. Quote: (B) Computer scientists, by and large, have little interest in politics and public policy. It would be difficult to find scientists with the degree of commitment required for a serious contribution to the judicial system. Cross it off. Quote: (C) There is a lack of people who are qualified in both technical and legal areas of expertise. Cross it off. Quote: (D) There is very little opportunity for, and indeed little need for, technical expertise in the judicial branch. There is therefore almost no way for a technical specialist to rise through the ranks to a top-level position in government. There is very little opportunity for and indeed little need for Cross it off. Quote: (E) The rewards of a life as a judge, in terms of both money and prestige, are not high enough to attract top-flight technical experts to this area. Cross it off. Answer: A Let's make this clearer.Senate candidate: Few judges have a background in tech, and yet they resolve cases involving high tech companies.What is inferred by the senate candidate?resolving cases involving high tech companies,Which of these could make the situation better?Rephrasing:This is a solid start. This directly contradicts the need for judges to have experience or a degree in computing for their job to be done properly. We are told that the essence of their job does not require much technical understanding beyond that of a layperson.This statement does not improve our situation. We want to be reassured that judges do not need to have a background in tech to do a good job. Here, we are told that it would be difficult to reconcile scientists and the judicial system. It actually makes our situation worse.Again, the fact that we are lacking people with the ability to both excel in technical and legal areas of expertise makes the situation worse, it does not reassure us about the senate candidate's opinion. A lacking supply of experts validates the senate candidate's feelings.I would break this down into little parts.does not reassure us on the situation, it validates the senate candidate's feelings.is a good one because it asserts that technical expertise is not needed in the judicial branch. Then, the rest of the sentence comes back to the problem of opportunity & willingness, both of which we are not interested in. Remember, we want to know if judges can do a good job without a background in tech. This statement, in the end, tells us that there is a lack of opportunity.This final statement is the easiest to cross off, as it 1. does not address the problem at hand and 2. validates the senate candidate's assessment of the situation. Averett University hosted Aviation Day on March 18 for prospective and current aviation students in Pritchett Auditorium in the Violet T. Frith Fine Arts Center, and throughout campus. Students had the opportunity to visit with employers in the aviation industry in addition to hearing from Averett alumni about their experiences. Today is all about starting to network and getting the experience of our alumni who then help mentor our students through their four years and beyond when they leave here, chief flight instructor Travis Williams said. Its not just about Averett and our program, its about learning the industry and networking. High school senior Nicole Cowboy was one of 20 prospective students who had the opportunity to visit campus. What attracted her to Averett was its small size and relatively quick time to get in the air. Williams noted during the welcome that students can get in the air as early as day two. Ive tried looking at some larger schools, and it seemed like it was crazy getting flights and schedules. Here, it is easy to get it, and it sold me because I can get in the air pretty much any time, Cowboy said. With 60 hours under her belt already, Cowboy is a part of the Civil Air Patrol and nearing completion of her private pilot license. According to mother Elizabeth Cowboy, it was Averetts willingness to accept Nicoles hours and work she had put into aviation during high school that made the University desirable during her search. Travis is willing to work with us. Some of the other universities didnt give credit and wanted her to start over. You can really see the investment Averett has made in its aviation program. The amount of volunteerism is great because you get to integrate into the community and not just be a part of campus, Elizabeth said. Averett was different because it is small and the aviation program is huge, Nicole said. During the afternoon, students had the opportunity to hear from Averett alumni like Bernie Morrell 88, who has built a career flying corporate jets around the globe. Im flying 250-300 hours a year, and Im away from home around 75-100 days per year, Morrell said. While the industry has changed over the last 30 years, Morrell said he has enjoyed every minute of flying for companies including Costco, Phillip Morris and currently, Bank of America. Morrells resume includes 12,000 flight hours. He told students they shouldnt be discouraged on how they can earn hours, because these days there are many avenues for achieving dreams. When I first started, once I got married and started a family, there was no going back to gain more hours. Today you can about gain all the hours you need at any time, and still net calls from major airlines worldwide, Morrell said. One of the points he drove home with students was to work for a job, and dont be afraid to push oneself. Morrell shared with students how he got a job with no experience. It started with a conversation, and ended with a job offer. I had no experience flying a jet, but the prospective employer took the time to take me aboard the jet, go over it and we talked for two hours in addition to some flying time. The next day I was signing paperwork, Morrell said. Alumnus Philip Owens told students he applied many times over for pilot jobs he didnt obtain. After one prospective employer didnt offer him one job, they turned Owens to a lead for a job in Maine. I started as a bi-plane tour pilot, flying around Maine, Owens said. Since that time, Owens is now a patrol pilot with the North Carolina Forest Service. Students were introduced to Averett President Tiffany M. Franks during the morning, and she told students during her welcome that Averetts aeronautics students are around the globe in roles beyond flying, as well. We have hundreds of aeronautics alumni and if you said, what are they doing? Id say in a word, everything! They are working as professional pilots flying domestic and international flights, some for UPS and FedEx. Some are in aeronautics in non-flying roles. Theyre in marketing, publications, in education, and theyre all over, Franks said. Morrell told those in attendance that there has never been a better time to get into aviation, with competitive pay and the opportunity to move from the right seat to the left in a short amount of time. He also praised the Universitys aeronautics program. I cant say enough good things about Averetts program. If I didnt think it was, I wouldnt have spent the last 20 years driving back here promoting the program, Morrell said. Averett has had a presence at Danville Regional Airport for 40 years, operating its aeronautics degree program out of the George J. Falk Flight Operations Center. More than 100 Averett Aeronautics majors are learning the business of aviation or receiving in-flight training at Averetts FAA-approved 141-certified flight school. In July 2021, Averett became the fixed-based operator of the airport, part of the Universitys strategic plan to expand and leverage innovative partnerships in the region and beyond. Danville City Council may look into a different method of funding the citys school system. Mayor Alonzo Jones said residents have asked council to examine more closely the funding the city of Danville provides to its school division. We need to become more involved with the school system, Jones said Monday. With tax revenue that will be coming in from the Caesars Virginia casino and the 1% sales tax increase to pay for school improvements, the city has an opportunity to look at the division to see what council can do to help Danville Public Schools become more successful, Jones said. Education along with reducing crime and growing Danville has been one of the top three priorities for Danville City Council for the past few years, Jones pointed out. During City Councils March 15 meeting, City Attorney Clarke Whitfield presented a funding alternative to just providing a lump sum of money to the school division. The city could allocate that money to specific categories, he said. There are nine categories the Virginia code calls for that have to be funded in a school board budget, and so, rather than just a lump sum, what you can do is put money in each one of those nine categories, Whitfield told council members. What that does, it assures that each one of those categories is fully funded. The city has been providing its local share of school funding differently, with a lump sum for operations and another amount for capital improvements, said City Manager Ken Larking. The city also pays the school systems debt service directly, instead of having the payment go through Danville Public Schools, he added. If the city were to switch to the other funding method mentioned by Whitfield, money would go to several specific areas including: instruction administration; attendance and health; pupil transportation; operations and maintenance; school food services and other non-instructional operations; facilities; debt and fund transfers; technology; and a contingency reserve. The city has proposed providing roughly $22 million in local money for the school system in Danvilles upcoming 2022-23 budget, plus another $2 million for capital improvements. The $22 million is the same as the current years funding, which is above the state-required minimum for a locality to give. Every locality has a minimum amount of money that they must provide the school board, Whitfield pointed out at the meeting. This council has always gone well above the board on that amount. Not everybody does that. Danville School Board Chairperson Crystal Cobbs said the school system breaks its funding into those nine categories and that public schools proposed allocation has been shared with the city. Were looking forward to learning more about what it is they need, Cobbs said, adding that the school system appreciated the support from the city. Danville Vice Mayor Gary Miller said Whitfields idea sounds interesting. Its something we certainly could consider, Miller said. Council has not discussed the idea, he said, but its worth entertaining. Id need to hear the pros and cons, he added. However, Miller said the current funding method could use improvement. City Councilman Lee Vogler said he is interested in hearing more about the possibility, adding that he would like to see a set, per-pupil funding formula in Danville. The idea is so the school system would be able to plan so they know exactly what they have coming, Vogler said. We dont necessarily know what the request will be from the school system until two months before budget, Vogler said of the current funding. Were kind of waiting and guessing what they might request, nor is school system, from their end, sure of what they will be getting. Though the funding arrangement is much better now than in the past, its still a lot of guesswork as to how much theyre going to get allocated each year, Vogler added. The more we can streamline it and the more we can simplify it, the better, he said. 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. Abu Dhabi-based VPS Healthcare, a leading UAE healthcare group, is preparing to expand to new global markets, introducing the same personalised care and expertise to patients. The company made announcement ahead of the World Government Summit to take place at Dubai Exhibition Centre at Dubai Expo from March 29 to 30, where VPS Healthcare is a title sponsor set to showcase the Future of Healthcare. Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and Managing Director, VPS Healthcare, said: With 15 brands, 24 specialty hospitals with a capacity of over 2,700 beds and dedicated divisions on digital health, pharma and bioscience, VPS Healthcare has rapidly grown into an operator with global appeal. The diversity and extent of the VPS Healthcare network is one of our greatest strengths, and we are committed to bringing the same quality of care and service to patients wherever we operate as we seek to expand our operational footprint to meet evolving needs. Focus on developing healthcare Taking place against the backdrop of the UAEs exceptional handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Government Summit reinforces the nations focus on developing its healthcare and other core sectors, underscoring its capabilities as a regional knowledge-hub. As the Covid-19 pandemic has shown us, it is critical to establish healthcare infrastructure that is agile, proactive and focused on improving its response capacity. With a committed healthcare partner such as VPS, the UAEs healthcare network is able to minimise external supply chain disruption threats, an issue that has severely impacted the pandemic response of several other economies. We are proud as well as humbled to be able to work alongside the UAE government, in line with its National Agenda, to deliver a life-altering, world-class healthcare system, he said. Our success is a reflection of the UAEs success and is based on the nations business-friendly ecosystem that supports entrepreneurial initiatives and offers the most favourable environment for growth and expansion, he added. World-class infrastructure With world-class infrastructure such as Burjeel Medical City, VPS Healthcare has significantly boosted the efficiency of UAEs healthcare system, making the country a preferred destination for medical tourism. Burjeel Medical City is one of the largest tertiary-care hospitals located in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi, and the only institution that offers comprehensive oncology services, including diagnostics, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and palliative care, for adult and paediatric patients. Expanding into medical education VPS Healthcare is also expanding into medical education, training and research, with the recent collaboration with the Cumming School of Medicine of the University of Calgary, Canada to offer a medical degree programme in the UAE. The programme will offer its three-year MD programme for the first time outside the USA and Canada, covering the latest digital health solutions, with guaranteed residencies across VPS hospitals. Across its healthcare divisions, encompassing hospitals, remote health and emergency services, diagnostics, long-term care and rehabilitation, VPS Healthcare has steadfastly adhered to the principles of compassion and commitment.-- TradeArabia News Service A federal program covering the costs of COVID-19 tests, treatment and vaccines for the countrys 28 million people without insurance has run out of funding because Congress did not act in time. If providers are unable to absorb the new costs on their own, this could strain a critical safety net for the nearly 650,000 uninsured Virginians under the age of 65 and leave them with less access to care and a greater possibility of disease spread, said Virginia Department of Health officials in a statement. VDH is considering how we may need to adjust our program planning to ensure access to testing, vaccines and treatment for Virginians, regardless of insurance status, said Logan Anderson, a VDH spokesperson. It is possible that we may not be able to sustain testing or treatment capacity or be appropriately prepared for future surges if funding does not come through this federal package. The Uninsured Program, run through the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, reimbursed providers for supplying these services to uninsured people throughout the pandemic. The federal agency was forced to stop accepting testing and treatment claims on Tuesday and will halt vaccine claims on April 5 at midnight. The VDHs current testing and vaccination efforts are not impacted by the congressional standoff. As of Friday, four of VDHs federal grants totaling almost $376 million are dedicated to COVID testing, according to the agency. An additional $387 million divided among 10 additional federal grants are geared toward vaccinations. Half of those are set to expire by July. But Anderson said theres a chance the loss of the Uninsured Program will indirectly affect the agency if more patients begin to seek services at community clinics and local health departments. People might also head to hospital emergency rooms, which could place undue pressure on Virginias health care system. And although some hospitals offer charity care programs to reduce the cost of a medical bill if an uninsured person seeks COVID treatment, not all do and eligibility can vary. Some require having Social Security, which could shut out undocumented immigrants. Statewide, health providers have filed more than $303 million in reimbursement claims through the Uninsured Program, per federal data last updated on March 3. About 60%, or almost $182 million, was for testing. A bulk of the claims for treatment were filed by hospitals, which are still recovering from the increased costs of the past two years, said Julian Walker, the vice president of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. In 2020, state hospitals faced a $1.8 billion revenue loss in part because of the postponement of scheduled surgical procedures while also investing in testing supplies, ventilators and personal protective equipment for their staff. They are also bracing for potential funding cuts to Medicare that would reduce how much money is reimbursed to providers for services, Walker added. Inaction in Washington that results in a discontinuation of pandemic-related support could have harmful implications for patients and health care providers who have already endured so much, Walker said. It is important to remember the fact that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are declining in Virginia does not mean that the added expenses of responding to the pandemic have receded. Cases have substantially dropped since Virginia experienced its greatest surge of cases in January, when the average number of daily infections peaked at nearly 19,000. Thats about 25 times the average the state reported on Friday: 767. Hospitalizations are at an all-time low, and deaths have declined from an average of 139 per day in early February to 20 on Friday. The percentage of people testing positive is at 3.7%, which is below the 5% threshold estimated to indicate enough testing is being conducted to detect most infections, Anderson said. But as cases, hospitalizations and testing have dropped, so have the number of people being vaccinated. The lower demand prompted Richmond and Henrico Countys health districts to close the community vaccination site at the Arthur Ashe Center on Friday and shift toward smaller clinics. Per the VDH, the average doses administered per day statewide has dipped below 4,000. The last time that happened was the first week of vaccinations in Virginia in December 2020. While nearly 73% of the states population is fully vaccinated, that percentage varies across localities. In some cities and counties, barely half of the residents have received both doses of Pfizer and Moderna or the single shot of Johnson & Johnson. Of the more than 6.2 million who are fully vaccinated, the majority 54% do not have a booster shot, which provides additional protection against hospitalization and death. In Richmond, CrossOver Healthcare Ministry and Daily Planet Health Services community clinics with patient populations that are predominantly uninsured, medically underserved or experiencing housing instability were among those that filed the most claims for administering vaccines. The safety net providers have also served as a community testing site for uninsured people, and with the Uninsured Program funding they were able to maintain the staffing levels needed to plan, order supplies and educate their patients. It created more access for the uninsured to seek care at places they otherwise wouldnt such as CVS or Walgreens and eased the burden on resources and staff, said Dr. Patricia Cook, chief medical officer at Daily Planet. CVS in Virginia had the most claims paid for vaccines statewide at nearly $16 million. A spokesperson told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the pharmacy chain is working with federal and state officials to ensure that people will continue having access regardless of insurance status. The funding limbo, if not fixed, will leave CrossOvers largely immigrant patient population at risk of increased spread, said CEO Julie Bilodeau. This group has consistently faced high COVID rates in part because of being essential workers. The top 10 occupations uninsured workers reported being in were nearly 6 million people in essential industries such as construction, housekeeping, restaurants and retail, according to 2018 data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, which publishes analyses on health care issues. Without more money to support further vaccination, testing and treatment efforts, its unclear what the dwindling of funds could mean long term for the people who will most need them. And the growing reliance on at-home tests doesnt exactly equal growing access. In data collected from Aug. 23, 2021, to March 12, 2022, of more than 400,000 U.S. adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found respondents who were seeking an at-home COVID test were more likely to have a college degree or higher, make more than $150,000 a year, be fully vaccinated and boosted, and not be an essential worker. But as uncertainty looms and resources are stretched, Bilodeau had a promise for CrossOvers patients: They did not once close their doors during the pandemic, and theyre not starting now. Vaccines are free, safe and effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death. To find a nearby vaccine, Virginians can visit vaccinate.virginia.gov, call 877-829-4682 or call 7-1-1 if theyre a teletypewriter user. Hemp legalization was not intended to get people high, said a lawmaker whose proposal to close loopholes in state cannabis code was approved this winter by the legislature, to the dismay of hemp businesses in Southwest Virginia. In response to a proliferation of Delta 8 THC products for sale in stores across Virginia, Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Augusta, this year carried a bill alongside Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, to redefine legal distinctions between the non-intoxicating hemp plant and its mind-altering sibling, the cannabis plant. There are lots of uses for hemp Im glad were able to grow it, Hanger said. But it seems like the traditional uses that we were hoping for did not come about as quickly as some would have hoped. Hemp plant fibers have wide potential for use in a variety of industries, from applications in textiles to development of bioplastics. However, flowers from hemp plants can be processed to synthesize high concentrations of Delta 8 THC and other counterparts the THC chemical, used in consumable products like vape pens and gummies. Hemp was intended to be something totally different: structural, bedding, clothing, those types of things, Hanger said. Those markets are slow to develop. Delta 8 THC, thus far unregulated by state or federal law, can cause psychoactive side effects in users, similar to effects of the chief high-inducing ingredient in cannabis, Delta 9 THC. Hangers Senate Bill 591, approved by the Virginia General Assembly and awaiting the governors signature, sets out to tighten regulations by altering the states definition of cannabis. There are some people who have products out there on the market in Virginia that would be banned under this legislation, unless they sell as a licensed vendor in a more regulated market, Hanger said. Right now, thats not the case. While demand for hemp rope is slow to emerge, consumers seem keen on Delta 8 THC and other related hemp products. Prevalence of such products in convenience stores and headshops has increased since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and its byproducts nationwide. There is a lot of money to be made. Im not opposed to people making money, Hanger said. But Im concerned about the safety of people when theres a proliferation of products out there that you can inadvertently get high from. At least 17 other states have banned such products, as other states continue to contemplate legal adjustments. For Eric Bissey, owner of Nice Dreams gift shop in Blacksburg, hemp products are a significant source of his revenue. Hangers bill, if signed into law, would severely limit sales at Nice Dreams, Bissey said. Probably 40% of my business right now is selling CBD products that are protected under the Farm Bill, Bissey said. I have veterans that come in to purchase items people that have sleep issues people with anxiety that come in... Theres just so many different uses. He said use of hemp-derived THC products have been misrepresented by lawmakers, and proposed changes will only bolster the illicit market that Virginia is trying to convert into a taxable cannabis industry. All this bill is going to do is cause people to go back to the black market, which is where they got their product before, Bissey said. My product is safe. Its been tested. All you have to do is scan the QR code, and it shows you the independent lab results of exactly what is in the product. Given that cannabis consumption was legalized in Virginia last year, it seems counterintuitive to further restrict hemp, he said. Yes, people are doing it recreationally, Bissey said. It shouldnt matter, because the state has made it legal. Bissey said legislators are regulating Delta 8 THC and other hemp THC derivatives because the state wants control over who makes money from the hemp and cannabis markets. He said its a money-grab. Right now this is in direct competition with them having their monopoly, so theyre just going to eliminate it, Bissey said. Theyre eliminating their competition which is unregulated, so that they can control everything else through regulation. For growers of hemp, SB 591 further complicates cultivation, said Jonathan Zinski, founder of Rezin Botanicals in Gladys, south of Lynchburg. I see the intent, but its really hurting a lot of Virginia business owners, Zinski said of HB 591. We definitely do need more protection. I agree with a lot of the talking points. But I think this is too severe, and its hurting hemp farmers. The bill specifies that hemp plants can only have a fraction of a percent of any derivative of THC. Problematically, Zinski said, Delta 8 THC and other such derivatives naturally occur during the hemp plants life cycle. For a hemp farmer trying to be compliant, theyre going to have to start testing for all these other isomers of THC, which do occur naturally in the plant, Zinski said, adding that industrial hemp and marijuana are the exact same plant, except for the methods used to grow them. In addition to growing hemp, Zinski said he is working to start a nonprofit that focuses on cannabis education, responsible use, and riddance of cultural stigma surrounding the plant. Some of this is almost like prohibitionist rhetoric, Zinski said of current legislation. We do need more protections, but again, its hurting honest people, and its not helping Virginians. Given the stigma and novelty surrounding cannabis legalization, it is challenging to educate lawmakers, he said. The way theyre doing it, we need precision accuracy with this issue, Zinski said of lawmakers. Theyre shooting a shotgun at a target thats got a whole bunch of innocent hemp farmers standing behind it. Hanger said the hemp and cannabis industry are indeed areas of education for him and others. He said lawmaking sometimes causes unintended impacts, and he encouraged people to reach out with their concerns. Im discussing with some of the processors that are out there, and the retailers, some potential amendments that we might entertain, Hanger said. If there are amendments that we need then Im all for that. With the General Assembly set to reconvene its 2022 lawmaking session in late April, there remains opportunity for Hanger to work with the office of Gov. Glenn Youngkin on amending SB 591 before it is signed into law. Or, if the opponents of the legislation are totally successful, they might convince him to veto the bill, but I would hope we dont go there, Hanger said. We have some time to work on it probably about a month that we can work on this to get it right, if there is a right to it. Im not sure. We kind of stirred a hornets nest. HIGH POINT Police say they are investigating the homicide of a 15-year-old boy Sunday night. Officers responded at 8:42 p.m. to an "assault with a deadly weapon" call in the 800 block of Sharon Circle, found the teenager and began life-saving measures while waiting for paramedics, according to a news release from the High Point Police Department. The victim was transported to a local hospital; he did not survive his injuries. Police are not releasing the victim's name because he is a juvenile. The news release did not provide details about what type of weapon was used in the assault, and police said no additional information will be released at this time. Authorities are asking anyone with information to call Detective K. Stewart at 336-887-7867; or, contact Crime Stoppers of High Point at 336-889-4000 or download the P3 mobile app for IOS or Android. A UNC School of the Arts graduate who became the first African American male costume designer nominated for an Academy Award came up short Sunday night. Paul Tazewells costume designs had been nominated for Steven Spielbergs 2021 film version of West Side Story, which was up for seven Academy Awards. Instead, the Oscar in the category went to Jenny Beavan, the costume designer for the film Cruella. Also competing in the category were costume designers for Cyrano, Dune and Nightmare Alley. Broadcast on ABC at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, the ceremony for the 94th Academy Awards honored artistic and technical merit in the film industry. Tazewells mother, Barbara Tazewell, traveled from her Asheboro home and sat with her son during Sunday nights ceremony. She wore an outfit designed by none other than her son. Her sister, Linda Brown, watched from her Greensboro home. Oscar nominee with Triad ties designs ceremony outfit for his mother, which she'll see for the first time this weekend UNC School of the Arts graduate Paul Tazewell is the first African American male costume designer to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design. His mother, Barbara Tazewell, traveled Friday from her Asheboro home to Hollywood for Sunday night's ceremony, where she will sit with her son in an outfit he made just for her. Among presenters at the Oscars ceremony were N.C. A&Ts Mister and Miss, Joshua Suiter and Zaria Woodford. But the night wasnt without a North Carolina winner: Ariana DeBose lived up to Oscar predictions and her West Side Story predecessor Rita Moreno. DeBose won the best supporting actress trophy Sunday for her breakout performance as the fierce Anita, 60 years after Moreno claimed the award in 1962 for the original film version of the Broadway musical. The 31-year-old DeBose was born in Wilmington and raised in Raleigh and Wake Forest. Like Tazewell, DeBose is a groundbreaker in her own right the first Afro-Latina and openly LGBTQ actor to win in the category. In her acceptance speech, DeBose said she found her strength in life through art. To anybody who has ever questioned your identity, she said, I promise you there is a place for us. Tazewell grew up in Akron, Ohio. Although he never lived in North Carolina except for college, he has relatives and connections here. For over three decades, Tazewell has worked in costume design across theater, opera, dance and film. In 2016, he won a Tony Award for best costume design for the internationally acclaimed Broadway show, Hamilton. He has received six Tony Award nominations for costume design, four Helen Hayes Awards for outstanding costume design and two Lucille Lortel Awards (for On the Town and Hamilton). Before she left Asheboro for Los Angeles late last week, Barbara Tazewell said she hoped her son could bring home the iconic statue. Paul kind of takes it very philosophically, she said. He says, If I win, thats great. And if I dont, Im just so thrilled to have been nominated. I feel that way, too. I think he should win. But if he doesnt win, its still wonderful that he was nominated. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Dawn DeCwikiel-Kane at 336-373-5204 and follow @dawndkaneNR on Twitter. Efforts to remove the name of the PKK from the "terror list" have begun in many countries around the world, and signature campaign activities demanding the removal of the PKK name from this list are taking place in many countries in the world. As part of the campaign, which was joined by the Kurdish people all over the world, the Kobani canton collected signatures in all the towns and districts of the canton, and its people demanded removing it from the "terror list". In this context, citizen Bozan Hami from the city of Kobani said, "I do not accept that any of our parties be included in the list of terrorism. The PKK represents all of Kurdistan." "It requires us to increase the pace of our struggle in terms of organizing events. We will continue to support the party so that its name is removed from the terrorist list," he said. He stressed the need for all Kurds to support each other in order to reach the goal of the democratic nation. He said that "the resistance of the Guerilla against the fascist Turkish state and its mercenaries is a sacred resistance, because they serve the Kurdish interest in the whole of Kurdistan." For his part, citizen Muhammad Ismail from the city of Kobani said, "This party is paying a price for the people." Muhammad Ismail added, "The occupying Turkish state has put the PKK on the list of terrorism, but it is the greatest terrorism, because we have seen nothing but good from this party for our people and all peoples." Ismail noted that the PKK is defending itself and its people, and said, "We the Kurdish people want our rights like the rest of the world's peoples. We struggle on the path of truth and we want our right. We will demand it until the last breath so that this injustice is removed from the leader Abdullah Ocalan." In turn, Salha Muhammad Haj Khalil said, "I do not accept that the name of the party be included in the list of terrorism, as it is always on the right path, and it is my responsibility to do so in order to remove its name from the list." Salha Muhammad Haj Khalil indicated that the enemy's goal by including the name of the PKK in the "terror list" is to put obstacles on its way so that it does not reach victory. A ANHA " " One study showed that dreaming of falling is the most common type of nightmare. Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images By day, Lisa (last name withheld) in Charleston, South Carolina has it all together: a solid marriage, beautiful kids, thriving career. By night, however, the beauty fades and something more sinister takes over. Lisa suffers from chronic, unpredictably spaced nightmares and has for decades. "Sometimes I will have multiple per night. Sometimes I will go two or three weeks without [one]," she explains in an email interview. Lisa isn't visited by the second coming of Freddy Krueger or anything like that, but the content of these terrible dreams is still pretty jarring. In one recurring nightmare, she's driving too fast through a notorious Atlanta highway interchange known as "Spaghetti Junction," and goes off the edge, crashing to her death. "It goes through my mind that I know I am doing it and everyone is going to be so disappointed in me," she says. Another example has her hunting down a demon in her mother-in-law's house. "I have to work hard to climb and get to the demon, who is deep within the house, but with each dream I get closer," she recalls. "The most recent one, I was looking through a knot in the wood door and he was looking back at me, eye to eye. It was horrible." Everyone has the occasional nightmare. Roughly 5 percent of the general population has at least one bad dream per week, says clinical psychologist and sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus in an email interview. "Nightmares typically happen during REM sleep, during the middle and later portions of the night," he explains. "Because of where nightmares tend to fall in the sleep cycle, and because of the intensity of their imagery and emotions, nightmares will result in some degree of awakening. You may bolt upright in bed and have trouble returning to sleep, thanks to a nightmare." We don't know exactly why nightmares happen, but Breus says it's possible that they help the brain, "practice, prepare for and even anticipate difficult or dangerous experiences in waking life." In fact, often such issues need attention in daylight hours, so it's possible that Lisa lives in fear of a highway crash or needs to talk some things over with her mother-in-law. "Of course it's possible that nightmares, like dreams in general, don't have a primary function that they're a byproduct of other activities in the body," says Breus. "But most sleep scientists think that dreams and nightmares exist for some purpose." One study found the most common nightmare was falling, followed by dreams of being chased, of dying, feeling lost, and feeling trapped. Advertisement Causes of Nightmares Certain circumstances and characteristics make some people more prone to nightmares than others, says Savannah, Georgia-based internist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Barry Krakow, author of the forthcoming book "Life Saving Sleep," which delves deeply into nightmares and other sleep disorders. People who've been traumatized are certainly at higher risk of nightmares, he says, offering examples like war veterans, those who've suffered sexual or criminal assault, or those who have been in a life-threatening accident. People with some degree of sensitivity in their biological makeup are also more likely to have bad dreams, so they're more common in people who suffer from anxiety or depression, or who use excess opiate drugs or alcohol. Folklore often attributes nightmares to eating too much rich food before bedtime, but the jury is out on whether this is true. One study from 2015 did find a link between eating dairy or spicy foods before bedtime and having disturbing dreams, but the study authors noted that this couldn't be proven conclusively because the data was self-reported and there were a lot of other variables to consider. (For instance, some of the participants were binge eaters, practiced intermittent fasting and or may have had undiagnosed reactions to certain foods.) However, research in recent decades has shown that people who suffer from sleep disorders are also more likely to have nightmares. Specifically, people with undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea are at higher risk, Krakow explains. " " Dreaming of ghosts or monsters is also a fairly common nightmare. David Wall/Getty Images Advertisement The Link Between Nightmares and Sleep Apnea People with sleep apnea stop and then start breathing again hundreds of times throughout the night. Although it is largely associated with snoring, a person doesn't have to snore to have sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea are generally very tired during the day, even when they've supposedly slept all through the night. Other symptoms of sleep apnea are gasping for air while sleeping, dry mouth or headache in the morning, problems staying asleep, irritability and attention issues. According to Krakow, the many misconceptions regarding sleep apnea make it tough for a person to get diagnosed. "So many children have sleep apnea and they don't get diagnosed until they're 50 years old," he says. This is a big deal because in addition to nightmares, sleep apnea is associated with greater risk of diabetes, brain dysfunction, heart disease and so on. "There are so many deaths caused over the course of time by oxygen not getting to the brain," he explains. His practice currently helps to treat mental health patients with sleep disorders. "So many of these have undiagnosed sleep apnea," he says, noting that they've seen thousands of patients at his center with nightmares. "The vast majority report reducing sleep apnea by using a CPAP machine, which then appeared to decrease nightmares." Formally known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, this is a standard treatment for people with obstructive sleep apnea. The problem is that many mental health professionals, whom people typically approach for help with nightmares, are not aware of the sleep apnea link. "Some people go into psychotherapy for years for PTSD and the nightmares don't go away," Dr. Krakow laments. Advertisement Using Imagery Rehearsal Therapy to Treat Nightmares Even nightmare sufferers who don't have sleep apnea have another option, though. Way back in 2001, Krakow and his team published a groundbreaking study in JAMA. The study pioneered "imagery rehearsal therapy," or IRT, which the team describes as a brief treatment that reduces chronic nightmares, improves overall sleep quality and reduces the symptoms of PTSD. The problem is, even though the treatment is endorsed by the American Sleep Academy and has been studied by dozens of groups around the world, many health professionals don't know about it. Here's how it works: "You teach somebody how to picture a new version of your dream in your mind's eye while you're awake, and that has a very powerful impact over your dreams," Krakow says, noting that it only takes a couple of weeks to see clear-cut decreases in nightmares. "By picturing new images they seem to be activating an imaging system that sets into motion the process of decreasing disturbing dreams." The study showed dramatic results: "Posttraumatic stress symptoms decreased by at least 1 level of clinical severity in 65 percent of the treatment group compared with symptoms worsening or not changing in 69 percent of controls," the study authors wrote. Krakow notes that IRT is "just as powerful as somebody using a PTSD medication." For many, it's not even technically necessary to visit a professional to engage in IRT, although some people might be better off. "It is very simple and very effective, but sometimes people would do better to do the technique with a therapist," he says. Now That's Cool People who suffer from nightmares and want to give IRT a try can download an audio workbook by Dr. Krakow's called, "Turning Nightmares Into Dreams." With about three hours worth of audio lessons and a 100-page workbook, it's a convenient, cost-effective way to learn the technique. Montana will commemorate the 10th annual Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day on Tuesday with a program scheduled at the Montana Capitol Complex and in the rotunda of the state Capitol. This will be a combination of Veterans Honor Walk starting from Sixth Avenue and Roberts Street, around the Capitol Building to the Freedom Tree and after a wreath laying into the Capitol rotunda. This event is sponsored by the Governors Office, the Montana Department of Military Affairs, The Montana Military Museum, American Legion Post #2 (Lewis & Clark Post), the Oro Fino Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and the Veterans Administration. Denise Feller, lieutenant colonel, retired, a Helena native who served as a U.S. Army nurse in Vietnam 1970-71, will be the keynote speaker. The march begins at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Montana Historical Society at 225 N. Roberts St. and will end at the Freedom Tree, where a wreath will be placed. The rotunda ceremony will be 11 a.m., with Gov. Greg Gianforte's reading of the proclamation and address to the event. There were 267 Montana men who were either killed in action (KIA) or died from non-hostile causes during this period. Twenty-two Montanans were originally recognized as prisoners of war and/or missing in action. Today five Montana POW/MIAs have been returned home and efforts to locate and return the remainder continue. There are more than 33,000 Vietnam veterans who call Montana home today. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Editor's note: The Helena Independent Record has been receiving daily emails from Valerie Hellermann of Helena, who is executive director with Hands On Global and now helping Ukrainian refugees. She is among the members of Hands on Global who traveled to Siret, Romania, on the Ukraine-Romania border, to establish a medical relief team for those fleeing the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Portions of this email have been edited for clarity. Today we went to a small village outside (Chernivtsi), there are many refugees there. We worked in a very small hospital/clinic and saw over 75 patients. The highlight was meeting a young boy, 5 1/2 years old, with a congenital heart condition. He had cyanosis lips and diaphoretic on exertion. Our doctor examined him and heard a very loud murmur. His parents said he was scheduled to have surgery in Kyiv. Of course, now with the war, it is not going to happen and probably not for a very long time. So we had a quick team meeting and decided we could help the family go to Norway for surgery as they have an open door now for Ukrainian refugees and excellent free health care. Lina is working on the arrangements. We discussed this option with the family and told them we would take them with us across the border into Romania. They were ready with their three kids in two hours. Already refugees from their home town, there was not much to (get) ready. We were concerned that the father who is in his late 30s would not able to leave Ukraine. There is a mandate that men between the ages of 18 thru 60 cannot leave the country. They must remain and fight. So we had a plan and brought them to the border with us and all the medical documents. Khalil, one of our doctors, and Oleg, our translator, handled the border control and after a long wait (they) allowed us to all cross. We were so relieved, we were all in tears. Then we called Refugee4refugees and arranged a safe room for the family in their transit center. Now phone calls to Norway... Valerie Hellermann Executive director Hands On Global Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Helena Indian Alliance is among the first recipients of a new wilderness grant program established in memory of the late Connie Saylor Johnson, a lifelong educator and champion of Idaho and Montana wilderness. Through partnering with Prickly Pear Land Trust, the Helena Indian Alliance plans to use the grant funds to help support a weekend retreat in July for urban native youth to connect with land and culture in the Blackfeet Nation near Browning. Were super excited to take youth back to the reservation and let them have that experience of culture, said Samantha Vulles, youth outreach coordinator for the Helena Indian Alliance. The Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Fund was established in 2019 by Saylor Johnsons friends and family to honor her work to provide hands-on wilderness education experiences to people of all ages. The fund has grown steadily since Saylor Johnsons death in 2018, through contributions from supporters of wilderness education. The fund is administered by the Selway Bitterroot-Frank Church Foundation for which Saylor Johnson served as a staff and board member from 2009 to 2018. The foundation assists the Forest Service in providing stewardship for the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church River of No Return Wildernesses and surrounding wildlands through on-the-ground work, public education and partnerships. The inaugural round of $1,000 wilderness education grant awards went to five organizations in Idaho and Montana. The Helena Indian Alliance was the only Montana recipient. Vulles shared that she first learned about the grant program through a Facebook post by Deb Gale, who serves on the board for the Selway Bitterroot-Frank Church Foundation. This grant aligns exactly with what we want to teach kids, said Vulles. According to Steve Kimball, board member with the Selway Bitterroot-Frank Church Foundation and co-chair for the committee overseeing the grant program, the foundation kept the outreach efforts limited this year to better test the waters for how the application process would go. The Helena Indian Alliance application was an immediate standout though when the committee reviewed it. This is the kind of program that really fits what she [Saylor Johnson] was about, said Kimball. This is the kind of learning and connection that Connie liked and worked for. While details are still being finalized, Vulles explained that the retreat will take place during the second week of July and they hope to take at least 10 youth with them. During the trip the kids will engage with their natural surroundings through general survival skills, plant identification, traditional plant education, and conversations with tribal elders and native youth who live in the Blackfeet Nation. Vulles went on to share that general survival skills and environmental education will be provided by an environmental education staff member from Prickly Pear Land Trust. Students will learn how to set up a camp, build a fire, cook food outdoors, identify birds and terrestrial animals, and gather plants for food, shelter, and medicine. Through engagement with a Pikanni tribal elder, students will also engage in the transmission of cultural knowledge and gain insight into the relationships between the Pikanni people and their natural environment. According to Vulles, the $1,000 the Helena Indian Alliance received through the wilderness education fund will be used specifically to fund transportation, camping supplies, and the compensation of tribal elders. The remaining funding necessary will be provided through matching cash funds from the Helena Indian Alliance and grant funds acquired by Prickly Pear Land Trust. At the end of the weekend, Vulles shared that each youth will be able to take home their own sleeping bag and tent. The hope, Vulles went on to say, is that gifting such camping supplies will make outdoor activities more accessible for the youth after the retreat. We hope that after the retreat the youth will bring the experience home to share with their families and hopefully that will bring families closer together, said Vulles. In their original grant application, the Helena Indian Alliance wrote that by the end of the weekend retreat, students will be equipped with the experience and knowledge to confidently explore the outdoors on their own, have a better understanding of plant life and its importance to the cultural, mental, physical, and spiritual health of all individuals. Applications for next years Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Fund will be open from April 1 through Oct. 31. The program is open to any nonprofit organization, institution, individual or ad-hoc group working to further wilderness education. Grants are awarded up to $1,000 per year. More information and the application can be found at selwaybitterroot.org/csjwef-grant. We are looking for programs that kindle passion for experiences in the wilderness and that bring students and others to wild settings and educate them on the values that are found in those settings, said Kimball. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), in partnership with internationally recognised and award-winning logistics real estate company LogiPoint will build two SR150 million ($40 million) warehousing complexes at Jeddah Islamic Port. The complexes will be built on a 43,000-sq-m site in the bonded and re-export zone of the port, a Saudi Press Agency report said. This will enhance the port's infrastructure and operating capabilities, expand capacity and enable logistical efficiency. This project represents the first phase in LogiPoint's ongoing infrastructure development plan worth SR400 million over the next two years. State-of-the-art complex The first unit, Village V will be a state-of-the-art multi-purpose 24,500-sq-m warehousing complex with dedicated zones for handling frozen, chilled, ambient, and dry cargo. Warehouse Village V also introduces a LogiPoint first with a dedicated zone designed and equipped to handle pharmaceutical goods inside Jeddah Islamic Port. Additionally, the Value-Added Zone will enable LogiPoint to extend their time-tested and much-in-demand labelling, re-packing, and consolidation services to their clients, allowing it to operate as a truly transformative logistics hub for the region. The second unit, Village VI will be a 18,700 sq m built-to-suit facility which has been designed to the specifications of Aramex, the world's leading provider of comprehensive logistics and transportation solutions. Innovative services and solutions The company offers its customers innovative services and solutions, including international and domestic express delivery, freight-forwarding, and integrated logistics and supply chain management. LogiPoint, (a subsidiary of Saudi Industrial Services Co. Sisco), designed the two complexes as per global logistics infrastructure standards and deploys best- in-class green building technologies and practices. Renewable energy will be harnessed to power the facility while LED lighting systems and effective waste management will lower consumption levels and reduce carbon footprint. Boosting the port status The latest projects are set to boost the port's status as an international logistics centre of excellence, which reflects Mawani's and LogiPoint's ongoing strategy to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub as per the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) and Vision 2030. Jeddah Islamic Port is Saudi Arabia's leader in maritime trading, transshipment, and re-exporting activity. With 62 berths and four terminals, the 12.5 sq km port has an annual throughput of over 130 million tonnes.-- TradeArabia News Service An online fundraiser for the family of a Livingston man killed in an apparent bear mauling on March 24 has raised more than $81,000 in two days. Craig Clouatre, 40, was found dead on Friday by Park County Search and Rescue near the Six Mile Creek drainage in Paradise Valley. The searchers were called out on Thursday by Clouatres friend, Hans Friedmann, who reported Clouatre missing when he didnt meet at their vehicle at the agreed time and had not phoned or radioed in. The two were reportedly hunting for shed elk antlers in the Absaroka Mountains when the incident occurred. Clouatre is survived locally by his wife, Jamie, and four children. Jamie wrote a thank you note on the GoFundMe page, saying she didnt have many words really right now but I appreciate every one of the sentiments and memories of the most amazing person I have ever known, my husband. More than 750 people had contributed to the fund to help the family. The contribution goal is $85,000. Authorities have not tried to track down the animal because it does not appear to have been a predatory attack, Morgan Jacobsen, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 3 communication and education program manager said on Monday. Five members of FWP's staff helped investigate the incident. "We can't confirm if it was a grizzly or a black bear," Jacobsen said. "There was not enough evidence to confirm it without a doubt." It will take several weeks for state wildlife officials to confirm whether a grizzly was responsible through testing of animal hairs found at the site, Jacobsen added. "No bear was seen during any part of the investigation," he said. There's no indication Clouatre used bear spray or a firearm in self-defense, Jacobsen said. The mauling occurred south of the Dome Mountain Wildlife Management Area and southeast of Daily Lake on Forest Service land. A fund has also been set up locally for the family at American Bank in Livingston, established by family friend Bev Dawson. The fund is meant to help defray living and education expenses for the children and to help pay the familys mortgage. In addition to the devastating loss of Craig, the Clouatre family lost their home to fire two years ago, have rebuilt and are recently back in the home with a newly increased mortgage, an email from Joanne Gardner Lowell said. Park County is full of such compassionate and giving people, Dawson said in the email. Were establishing this fund to give people a place to give what they can, which will make a real difference for this wonderful family. Compassionate Neighbors, Craig Clouatre Family is being administered by Dawson and Compassionate Neighbors, a human services support group in Livingston. The fund takes no fee and transfers all donations directly to the family. The IRS allows gifts of up to $16,000 per year with no tax liability. American Bank of Montana is located at 120 N. 2nd, Livingston, MT 59047. Phone 406-222-2265. Checks or cash will be accepted. The fund is not set up to take online donations. Please mark donations Compassionate Neighbors, Craig Clouatre Family. The support in this community is incredible and I know it comes from Craig ... who he was, a joy, a truly kind, good, GOOD man, Jamie wrote. Thank you all for everything! We all lost something and the world is a hell of a lot dimmer. Clouatre is the first victim of a grizzly bear mauling this year in Montana. Last year, two people were killed in grizzly maulings, one a cyclist who was camping in Ovando and the other a West Yellowstone guide fishing along the Madison River. A Massachusetts native, Clouatre reportedly moved to Montana 20 years ago. Bichler wrote on the agencys Facebook page that in speaking to Jamie, she told him that She and the family understand that Craig loved to be in wild places and was well aware of the risks involved with that. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 As the Russian blitzkrieg against the Ukrainian people enters its fourth week it is now more of an oozing sitzkrieg. In that time span lessons have already been forgotten and embarrassing questions go unanswered that will play center stage in the next energy funded conflict. Six days after Russia invaded Ukraine, the European Union (EU), Canada, Britain and the U.S. agreed to sanction Russian banks by excluding them from the SWIFT messaging system. SWIFT allows the fast transference of funds. Ten days later they disconnected 70% of the Russian banks from the system. Left in place were banks that handled energy payments to Russia from EU members reliant on Russian oil, coal and natural gas. This amounts to about $1B per day to Russia. Twenty-one of the 30 EU members are also NATO members. Twelve days after the invasion the U.S. quit buying Russian crude. Several EU nations and Britain say they will stop buying Russian crude on the spot market and wind down contracts during the coming year or years as the contracts require. Why? Why would nations provide armament funding to those posing an immediate threat their autonomy, and sacrifice their peaceful neighbor? They have sacrificed their autonomy for affordable, reliable energy supplies after shutting down their intra-country affordable, reliable energy supplies. These Russian energy imports are now required to survive the brutal Balkan winters and sustain manufacturing/exports. They would also be necessary to make the fuel to run the tanks to defend against Russian invasion. This all started in 1972 with the signing of the Paris Economic Summit. By 2015 this simple document had grown to 500 regulations, directives and decisions regulating energy production and defending the environment till 2020. To comply EU nations could not develop fossil fuels in their own nation so contracted with Russia to provide them. Always ratcheting upward the EUs current energy use mandates now require greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 55% compared to 1990 emissions by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (remember that date). Europe has large reserves of oil and natural gas but fracking is required for recovery. Fracking is not allowed in EU nations. Non-EU member, Ukraine, fracks to avoid energy imports from Russia. Focusing on inputs, outputs, protocols and environmental policies, EU nations forgot that energy security and national security are stripes on the same zebra. And, for a 50-year plan to work the predicted outcome must accommodate new realities. Decades of energy policies developed by the EU is known collectively as the European Green Deal and was codified in 2020. I apologize to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for exposing her plagiarism. President Biden vows net carbon neutrality by 2050 implemented by no new oil or coal development. Japan says it will be carbon net neutral by 2050. Japan imports Ural grade oil from Russia. The UK has modified its carbon budget to reduce shipping and aviation emissions by 78% to achieve carbon net neutral by 2050 (see above). Israel pledges to be carbon neutral by 2050. Israel imported Russian crude but now fracks and has developed large off shore reserves of natural gas for export. South Korea pledges to be net carbon neutral by 2050. South Korea imports much of its oil from Russia. The European Commission has not modified its commitment to be net carbon neutral by 2050 while ignoring members commitments to purchase Russian fossil fuels. Over 100 nations have pledged to be net carbon neutral by 2050. Net zero carbon status does not mean zero carbon emissions. It means that if you buy enough Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from wind generation developers you can claim your natural gas emissions, coal fired emissions, and mobility emissions are green because the amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere from this generation is offset by the lack of emissions released into the atmosphere during sustainable energy generation. While nations play environmental word games, including that an emission is not an emission, in Ukraine a war orphan means a child whose parents were killed in the invasion. In Montana, NorthWestern Energy has pledged to be net carbon neutral by 2050. More on that later. Sen. Brad Molnar, R-Laurel, represents Senate District 28 in the Montana Legislature. As a public service commissioner Molnar studied international energy for eight years. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR Theresa Rutherford keeps finding her way back to the beginning. As the chief executive officer of HSHS St. Marys Hospital for more than a year, Rutherford, 63, admits she feels most comfortable in the Decatur facility, where she began her career as a certified nursing assistant in 1979. You stay in healthcare because its something bigger than yourself, she said. And everybody whos hired here is important. Having already started her family with her first of four children, she began climbing the ladder of her career by attending technical training classes in a downtown Decatur office. While I was doing that, I needed a job, Rutherford said. We were young married people. Although the nursing education process has changed through the years, Rutherford encourages those interested in the field to start as a CNA. It is such an amazing way to see what the other members of your team do, she said. And you will never forget and appreciate that person who works alongside you. #TogetherDecatur Do you know a person or of a story that exemplifies the best of Decatur? Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983 or dbeckett@herald-review.com. According to the staff, the nursing aides are critical to healthcare. They are those hands who support the nurse whos also trying to give meds and work with the doctor and do other things, Rutherford said. Our nurse aides often are the face that our patients know. They are more comfortable talking to them. The next step included a bachelor's degree in nursing in 1990. By then, all four of her children had been born. Although she had the education, the experience came from working among the patients and colleagues. Theres a lot of other things you have to learn than just the nursing, Rutherford said. How do you talk? What does communication look like? Her career moved her throughout various businesses, but always came back to healthcare. After she became a registered nurse, Rutherford was hired in the maternal/child center at Carle Hospital, where she would eventually lead a team of nurses. She then managed a unit. And I was hooked, Rutherford said. Throughout the years she continued her education, receiving her MBA degrees in nursing and business. In nine years, Rutherford had moved along her career path, including as a registered nurse, an assistant manager, a manager, then a director. In 1999, she began her first chief nursing officer position in Galesburg. The position gave her experience with other areas of a hospital. Within five years, she moved on to Dubuque, Iowa, and was hired as a chief operating officer. Her husband Tom remained in Decatur as a firefighter. When a position was available at St. Marys Hospital in 2006, she came back as a CNO. Seven years later, she was hired as a CEO at HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham. The hardest part was leaving this team here, Rutherford said about the Decatur hospital. But by 2021, she was back again. Although her arrival coincided with the pandemic, Rutherford admits the transition went smoothly because of her co-workers. Its all about the team, she said. But its been a whirlwind. Rutherford admits she did not imagine she would be sitting in the CEOs chair more than 40 years ago. It was not even on my radar, she said. During the beginning years, the young mother simply wanted to help support her family. Her attitude and reasoning changed as she gained more experiences. Although Rutherford was hired in various positions and other locations, her connection to Decatur was rooted. These are the people on this team, they are people Ive known, some of them my entire career, she said. We all have the same goals, thats providing for the health of this community. Since she began as CEO, Rutherford has been meeting with all 900 colleagues working with HSHS St. Marys. Their discussions often involve the futures of each one. How can we help you become that person that you want to be?, Rutherford said. People can do a lot of things here. All employees of the hospital have a connection to the patients, according to Rutherford. She wants to keep the connection built nearly 150 years ago. Its our patients, our patients families and their support system, its this community, she said. And its about us as a colleague team. Rutherford isnt looking to retire anytime soon, she said. Right now its the right place for me to be, she said. Im very fortunate to lead an amazing team of people. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Todays Highlight in History: On March 28, 1979, Americas worst commercial nuclear accident occurred with a partial meltdown inside the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island plant near Middletown, Pennsylvania. On March 28: In 1797, Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire received a patent for a washing machine. In 1854, during the Crimean War, Britain and France declared war on Russia. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, ruled 6-2 that Wong, who was born in the United States to Chinese immigrants, was an American citizen. In 1935, the notorious Nazi propaganda film Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will), directed by Leni Riefenstahl, premiered in Berlin with Adolf Hitler present. In 1939, the Spanish Civil War neared its end as Madrid fell to the forces of Francisco Franco. In 1941, novelist and critic Virginia Woolf, 59, drowned herself near her home in Lewes, East Sussex, England. In 1942, during World War II, British naval forces staged a successful raid on the Nazi-occupied French port of St. Nazaire in Operation Chariot, destroying the only dry dock on the Atlantic coast capable of repairing the German battleship Tirpitz. In 1969, the 34th president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, died in Washington, D.C., at age 78. In 1977, Rocky won best picture at the 49th Academy Awards; Peter Finch was honored posthumously as best actor for Network while his co-star, Faye Dunaway, was recognized as best actress. In 1987, Maria von Trapp, whose life story inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music, died in Morrisville, Vermont, at age 82. In 1999, NATO broadened its attacks on Yugoslavia to target Serb military forces in Kosovo in the fifth straight night of airstrikes; thousands of refugees flooded into Albania and Macedonia from Kosovo. In 2000, in a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court, in Florida v. J.L., sharply curtailed police power in relying on anonymous tips to stop and search people. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court wrapped up three days of public arguments on President Barack Obamas historic health care law. (In June 2012, the court would uphold almost all of the law, including the mandate that virtually all Americans have health insurance or pay a penalty.) On the last day of his visit, Pope Benedict XVI demanded more freedom for the Roman Catholic Church in communist-run Cuba and preached against fanaticism in an unusually political sermon before hundreds of thousands at Revolution Plaza. Bluegrass legend and banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs, 88, died in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2017, President Donald Trump proposed immediate budget cuts of $18 billion from programs like medical research, infrastructure and community grants so that U.S. taxpayers, not Mexico, could cover the down payment on the border wall. Wells Fargo said it would pay $110 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over up to 2 million accounts its employees opened for customers without getting their permission. In 2021, local media in Myanmar reported that security forces opened fire on a crowd attending the funeral of a student who was killed along with more than 100 others a day earlier in a crackdown on protests against the February coup there. Four bodies were found in Tennessee in the aftermath of flooding caused by heavy rains. Two additional tugboats were deployed to Egypts Suez Canal to help free a giant container ship that had been wedged for days across the crucial waterway. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BRISTOL, Va. Courts across Virginia continue catching up from restrictions initially imposed two years ago designed to limit the spread of COVID-19. Last Friday the Supreme Court of Virginia extended its declaration of judicial emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to allow local discretion regarding mitigation strategies. The states high court first imposed emergency regulations in March 2020 when the pandemic spread into the state. At that time, many court activities were delayed or limited statewide. The orders have definitely changed over the past two years. This latest order is [allowing] the local courts, chief judges and presiding judges throughout Virginia [to] use their discretion how courts are locally responding to COVID, Bristol Virginia Circuit Court Clerk Kelly Flannagan said. Our 28th Circuit issued a new order March 17 that eliminates the need for folks entering the courthouse to wear a mask. That is a big change here in lessening the COVID-related restrictions. Masks had been required since courts resumed regular operations. Anyone who enters the courthouse locally is still subject to have their temperature taken and to be asked COVID-exposure and symptom-related questions, under the order. Weve come a long way since March 19, 2020, Flannagan said. We are not caught up. There is a backlog on our docket. We have lots of folks sitting in jail waiting for their day in court, so our jurors are playing a very important role in our community right now. Were hearing jury trials, weve got full dockets. Were doing our best to catch up. I do not feel we are there yet. Each circuit had to enter a jury trial plan that had to be approved by the Virginia Supreme Court before they could resume jury trials. The Supreme Court allowed jury trials to resume locally in February 2021, court records show. Most General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts have greatly reduced their backlogs. Circuit courts are still dealing with jury trial delays, according to a report last month by the Supreme Court of Virginia to the state Senate Finance General Government Subcommittee. Statewide, Circuit courts reported disposition of 14.5% more criminal cases in 2021 compared to 2020 and 12.2% more civil cases, according to the report. The court caseload rose from 331,000 criminal and civil cases in 2020 to 331,757 combined cases in 2021. General District courts statewide reported disposition of about 1% fewer civil and criminal cases in 2021 compared to 2020, but 9.5% more traffic cases. The total caseload decreased from 2020 to 2021 by nearly 11%. Juvenile and Domestic courts reported increases of 13.7% more adult cases finalized and 7.4% more cases involving juveniles compared to the prior year, according to the report. The caseload statewide declined a combined 6.3% in 2021 compared to the prior year. I think the Supreme Court is continuing to extend this emergency because the [COVID case] numbers vary so much throughout the commonwealth. There are still some hot spots, Flannagan said. Until a few weeks ago, Southwest Virginia was one of those hot spots, with some of the highest disease transmission rates in Virginia. As of last week, most cities and counties in Southwest Virginia were classified as low or moderate for the risk of COVID transmission, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Some mitigation strategies remain in place, including social distancing. For example, 12-member juries are seated socially distanced from each other in the courtroom. Anyone seated in the gallery is required to sit socially distanced from others 6 feet apart except in the case of families, Flannagan said. In Bristol, six jurors are seated in the jury box, some are to the side, and there is a row in front. It definitely complicates the process, but it seems to be working well, Flannagan said. 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. BRISTOL, Tenn. GOP candidates running for the Sullivan County Board of Commissioners discussed why voters should choose them during the May 3 primary election Monday at a Bristol Tennessee Republicans meeting at the Bristol Cafe & Market. Ten of the 12 candidates running in Districts 2, 4 and 5 each had an opportunity to speak for four minutes. While the five challengers largely spoke of their qualifications, the incumbents discussed past accomplishments as well as current challenges. District 2 Commissioner David W. Akard III led off the guest speakers by addressing the county debt. We are $240 million in bonded debt, Akard said. That sounds like a really big number, and it is but bonded debt is not exactly always a really bad thing. According to Akard, more than half of that debt has gone to schools, including funding to the Bristol and Kingsport school systems. An additional $80 million has been allocated to the new Sullivan County jail, he said. Matt Slagle, who is one of three non-incumbent candidates vying for one of the three seats in District 2, said the county has an infrastructure problem. Slagle voiced concern over the countys preparedness for the temporary Bristol Casino, coming to Bristol, Virginia this summer prior to the opening of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in 2024. We need the infrastructure to support growth, Slagle said. We dont have it today, and we are not going to be ready. Weve got a casino dropping in next door. We are not ready. Commissioner Mark Vance joins Akard in seeking reelection in District 2. Stagle, Cheryl S. Harvey, a self-described lifelong Republican, and Dennis Hutton are also running for office in District 2. In his four minutes, Vance followed up on the casino, saying that he has confidence the county and city will be able adapt to change. Thats going to change the whole dynamics of Sullivan County, Vance said. We have done relationship building where I believe our cities and county can work together, and they can turn around and handle that situation. Just two of four candidates running for the three District 4 seats were in attendance Monday. Commissioner Joyce Neal Crosswhite highlighted past accomplishments of the County Commission, which she said includes giving county employees a $1,500 bonus and a 5% raise. Crosswhite added the countys employees are its biggest asset. Crosswhite and fellow incumbents Michael B. Cole and Tony Leonard are challenged by Rick Hicks, an engineer from Bluff City. All three candidates in the two-seat District 5 made remarks. Commissioner Herchel Glover spoke about the Financial Management Act of Sullivan County, which he said will increase the countys transparency and accountability. You can more or less say we are going to open up the curtains, open the doors and let everyone in the county see whats going on with the departments in the county, Glover said. Theres going to be computer software where each of you as citizens and taxpayers can go on and see what each department of the county is doing with their money. Small business owner Sherry Grubb joins Glover and Commissioner Dwight King on the ballot. Early voting for the May 3 primary begins Wednesday, April 13, and goes until Thursday, April 28. Barring the unlikely success of any write-in candidates, the Republicans who prevail in May will be elected in the General Election on Aug. 4 in all but one commissioner race. Just one candidate will appear on the ballot for the Democratic Party Lori Love, who is running for the County Commission in District 7. I think it says a lot about our county and the county Republican Party as to how many Republicans come out and get on that ballot, Sheena Tinsley, president of Bristol Tennessee Republicans, said. Our party works hard as a whole to make sure that we get good candidates on the ballot. This area is typically dominantly Republican, and I think that shows on the ballot. 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. Last weeks conviction of a Nashville nurse for negligent homicide in the death of a patient could have a chilling effect on health care, according to local, state and national organizations. On Friday a jury convicted RaDonda Vaught, who formerly worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, of reckless homicide and impaired adult abuse after she mistakenly administered the wrong medication to a 75-year-old female patient with brain damage in 2017, resulting in her death. Vaught, 37, was acquitted on the charge of reckless homicide, which prosecutors were seeking. Vaught administered Vecuronium, a strong paralytic, instead of Versed, a controlled substance which helps cause drowsiness and decrease anxiety. The American Nurses Association and the Tennessee Nurses Association issued a joint statement about the verdict after the nurse self-reported the error. We are deeply distressed by this verdict and the harmful ramifications of criminalizing the honest reporting of mistakes, according to the statement. Health care delivery is highly complex. It is inevitable that mistakes will happen and systems will fail. It is completely unrealistic to think otherwise. The criminalization of medical errors is unnerving and this verdict sets into motion a dangerous precedent. There are more effective and just mechanisms to examine errors, establish system improvements and take corrective action. The non-intentional acts of individual nurses like RaDonda Vaught should not be criminalized to ensure patient safety. Alan Levine, president and CEO of Ballad Health System, called the case tragic in a Saturday memo to Ballad employees but also noted the importance of reporting errors. Ballad Health has a culture of safety in which we encourage self-disclosure of mistakes without fear of penalty. This is critically important, Levine wrote. We need to know of any incident which could jeopardize patient safety, so we can make sure our systems are designed to minimize harm. Does this mean a nurse cannot be disciplined for negligent behavior? No. Our position has always been that we disclose medical mistakes, and we do not discipline nurses just because they made a mistake. The health system has guidelines in place for employees who dont comply with nursing standards or system policies, Levine wrote. Additionally, Ballad has safeguards and systems in place that appear to be superior to what Vanderbilt may have relied on in 2017, he added. When there is a medical mistake at Ballad, we do not abandon our nurses when they step forward to help us identify the cause of the mistake and work with us to help make sure the chance it can happen again is minimized. We have a zero harm policy. Each day, our safety huddles are designed to give nurses a voice in identifying patient safety issues so we can work together to resolve them, Levine wrote. In the wake of the verdict, Levine directed hospital CEOs and chief nursing officers to assemble focus groups with nurses in each Ballad hospital to get nursing staff input on the outcome of the case and if there are any other systemic opportunities to help ensure safety. It is a fact that there is a massive shortage of nurses nationally, and we are being impacted by it. It would be foolish of me to not acknowledge the impact this shortage has on the workflow of nurses and the potential impact on patient safety. It is a problem. And it would be irresponsible for health care policy makers and health system leaders to fail to acknowledge it, Levine wrote. And in my opinion, it is unfair to hold a nurse to a criminal standard if the nurse did follow the policies and the practices of the employer responsible for the patient, Levine wrote. I cannot substitute my judgment for that of the jury and must respect the fact that there seems to now be a standard we need to pay attention to. 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. BRISTOL, Va. When missionaries Gennady and Mina Podgaisky left their home in Ukraine in December to speak at various churches in the United States, the couple did not expect the conflict with Russia to turn into a full-blown invasion. We knew that the war was coming. Everybody knew. But, what we all thought is that they (the Russians) will take a little bit more of the area that is occupied, Mina told the congregants of First Baptist Church in Bristol, Virginia Sunday. At a breakfast and presentation before the worship service, the missionary couple answered questions and informed congregants about the destruction of one of their mission buildings where kids would play, and gave them an overview of the Russian invasion of their home country. The missionaries do not know when they will be able to go back home. Originally their trip was supposed to end March 12. For now, they are staying at a missionary house in Black Mountain, North Carolina, where they do the most they can to support their community through counseling sessions and bank deposits back in Ukraine, as well as reaching out to churches, such as the First Baptist, which has hosted and provided financial assistance to them in the past. By counseling, it does not mean that theres like 15-minute therapy session like people think here, it is mostly hour or more of listening to people, their cry and pain and losses and their panic and shock, Gennady said. We are trying to help to the best of our knowledge and experience. In May, the missionary couple will embark on a month-long tour of Baptist churches that will start in Alpena, Michigan, and finish in Miami, Florida. Mina encourages everyone to join in the relief efforts for Ukraine in whatever way they can and believes the rebuilding of Ukraine, once the war is over, will take years. The couple hopes the people donating and praying will join them long-term. You might not be able to do much. But if you share on social media, more people will pray, more people will get involved, she said. In the years to come, were going to need teams (of volunteers) to come and help rebuild houses. For those interested in following the work of the Ukrainian missionaries, they have a Facebook page, Kyiv Partnership Updates from Gennady and Mina Podgaisky, where they post regular updates about their missionary work. 276-645-2512 Twitter: jmanceraBHC 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. Montpelier President James Madisons home in Orange County, Va. is embroiled in controversy over what authority it allows descendants of the enslaved people who built and powered his familys plantation. On Friday afternoon, The Montpelier Foundation board rescinded its earlier commitment and stripped 50-50 power sharing from the Montpelier Descendants Committee representing African Americans who trace their roots to the plantations community. Five descendants of enslaved people serve on the board, three chosen by the committee and two by the foundation. The bylaws change bars the committee from naming future members. That gives the foundation more control over the boards composition. Critics of the boards decision have mounted a petition drive, which garnered 3,000 signatures in less than 24 hours. A majority of the historic sites staff protested the boards move, saying the foundation failed to make any headway implementing its promise of equality with the descendants group more than nine months after making that pledge. Matt Reeves, the foundations director of archaeology and landscape restoration, is among those professionals. He has been on Montpeliers staff for 22 years. Its a supreme irony that The Montpelier Foundation board, which professes to promote a pro-Madison philosophy, is completely missing Madisons political philosophy of critical thinking and seeing how two opposing factions can balance each other and create a stronger, more diverse wholesuch as could be attained at Montpelier, Reeves said Saturday afternoon. The impasse has halted work on important projects, already funded, that need collaboration with the descendants, the staff said in a statement. Foundation leaders have systematically prevented staff interacting and collaborating with the Montpelier Descendants Committee, and threatened staff members with termination for doing so, they said. Dr. Elizabeth Chew, Montpeliers vice president and chief curator, said that after more than 20 years of partnership with descendants, staff have been threatened with firing since 2020. Thats when foundation Chairman Gene Hickok and Montpelier President Roy F. Young II assumed leadership posts. Montpelier leadership has lied to staff about progress toward sharing governance with MDC, Chew said. Our fight is about so much more than a historic plantation in rural Virginia, said Dr. Iris Ford, an MDC board member who is an associate professor emerita of anthropology at St. Marys College of Maryland. Over 200 years after the ratification of the Constitution, African Americans are still fighting for the protection and liberties that it claims to guarantee. What we are doing at Montpelier is fighting for the very soul of our nation. Hickok told The Washington Post the board isnt reneging on fully representing descendants, a concept called structural parity. Rather, the board wants to pick descendant members from a bigger pool than the committee, he said. This is an effort to reset the process, Hickok told the newspaper. It certainly doesnt have the board backing away from parity. We are very committed to parity. The challenge has been organizationally getting there. The conflict, which has long been brewing, has outraged Montpelier curators, historians and archaeologists. They say the descendants committee is their crucial partner in interpreting the complicated past of the Father of the Constitution, his family and the 300-some enslaved people who toiled there over 140 years. Dr. Bettye Kearse, one of the few descendants on The Montpelier Foundations board, said the committee is committed to the rich and important history told at Montpelier, to the beauty and power of the Montpelier estate and grounds, and to the longevity and strength of The Montpelier Foundation. MDC members have spent decades of their lives researching Montpeliers history and archaeology and developing innovative and award-winning historical interpretation projects, said Kearse, a pediatrician who wrote The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a Presidents Black Family. Montpelier is not the board, but the board must be receptive to substantive change for Montpelier to survive and thrive. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which owns the Madison plantations 2,400 acres, warned Hickok on Thursday that the boards change to its bylaws would undermine decades of important work that led to the formation of the Committee in the first place, and in turn would set back Montpeliers efforts to continue the necessary work of uplifting descendants voices, and repairing the relationship between the broader African American community and Montpelier, the former site of generations of enslavement. Before the vote, a majority of the foundations roughly 40 full-time employees wrote a resolution urging the board not to OK the change. On Thursday evening, National Trust Chief Executive Paul Edmondson wrote Hickok and urged him in the strongest possible terms not to press ahead with changing the bylaws. Edmondson was blunt, noting that Montpelier descendants chose the committee as their formal voice. The foundations commitment to give them equal seats on the board acknowledged the right of the descendant community to define itself, rather than to be defined by the foundation, he wrote Hickok. The newly proposed revisions to the bylaws would do the opposite. The trust provided grant money and other support to The Montpelier Foundation and the Montpelier Descendants Committee to encourage their reaching an agreement on power sharing, recognizing it is a deeply challenging process, Edmondson wrote. Several Montpelier staffers and board members told the Post they believe the foundations leaders are unwilling to share control over how the site depicts the fourth U.S. president and his legacy. Other presidential homes in Virginia notably Monticello, Mount Vernon and James Monroes Highlands have wrestled in recent years with the issue of slavery and how they depict their owners entanglement with it. The MDCs attorney, Greg Werkheiser of Cultural Heritage Partners in Richmond, said of Montpelier that the whole point of including descendant voices is to broaden the perspective of leadership, not to reinforce a historically narrow approach to telling history. In February, the committee proposed a compromise allowing the foundation to reject MDC board nominees for ethical and legal reasons, but not because Black descendants didnt fit the profile of the current board, he said. Werkheiser said Saturday that, working with the committee, he submitted to the foundation board a list of 40 hugely impressive prospects that any board in America would be lucky to have, and they refused to look at it. The public tends to think of the battle for civil rights as taking place through speeches, marches, and courtrooms, he said. But the modern struggle for fairness also occurs in quiet board rooms of places like Montpelier, and only comes to light when people like the descendants and staff say, Enough is enough. Montpeliers earlier work to more closely collaborate with enslaved peoples descendants garnered wide publicity and respect from other historic sites and professionals. In 2018, a conference at Montpelier on teaching about slavery produced The Rubric. The document, titled Engaging Descendant Communities, set standards for guiding institutions toward more completely representing Black people. But the committees relationship with foundation leaders began to break down after the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, when leaders couldnt agree on a joint statement about his death with the MDC, staff said. The foundation issued a statement lamenting Floyds death, but the descendants committee felt it should more strongly condemn systemic racial inequities, and submitted stronger language. Late Saturday, Montpelier CEO Young said, in reaction to the Posts story, that some staff members have expressed concern that last weeks staff statement mischaracterizes them and their work. He said one staff member said, I am concerned about a number of aspects of this statement, the way its been presented, and that it does not speak for many employees of Montpelier. The statement seems to ignore the efforts of the Interpretive staff working to present to Visitors the tragedies of individual and generations of enslaved people at Montpelier, as well as the amazing impact that James Madison has on democratic principles. Orange County resident James French, the elected chair of the descendants committee, said Saturday, There might be boards somewhere where an equal partnership consists of choosing others leaders for them, shamelessly trying to pit community members against one another in an attempt to divide and conquer, and preventing members with different views than yours from speaking since difficult conversations are, after all, inconvenient. But what is certain is that such a board would be unqualified to engage honestly with Madisonian concepts, the U.S. Constitution or the completeness of the history of slavery, added French, who is a member of The Montpelier Foundations board. Montpelier deserves better. The most celebrated student walkout came without an adult seal of approval. On April 23, 1951, Barbara Rose Johns led what would become a two-week student strike at Farmvilles Moton High a Black, grossly overcrowded school where some classes were held in tarpaper outbuildings. Moton had no cafeteria, no science lab, no gym and no industrial arts shops. School officials were kept in the dark about the strike. The principal, in a ruse by the students, was summoned off-campus. Teachers were similarly deceived into bringing their classes to the auditorium, where the protest organizers announced what was afoot and asked the teachers to leave the assembly to avoid culpability. Johns then instructed the students to follow her out the back door of the school. What ensued is described by Richmond author Margaret Edds in her book We Face the Dawn, on legendary civil rights lawyers Oliver Hill and Spottswood Robinson: For the rest of the day, some students tramped the Moton grounds, lofting premade signs with messages such as Down with the Tar Paper Shacks. Others returned to their classrooms but refused to do any schoolwork. The organizing committee unsuccessfully attempted to present their demands to the school superintendent Thomas J. McIlwaine at the school board offices downtown. The students met success with a higher authority: The U.S. Supreme Court. Their lawsuit became part of the Brown v. Board of Education decision invalidating the separate but equal doctrine allowing government-sanctioned racism. Nearly seven decades later, the Hanover County School Board seems intent on fashioning its own separate but equal policy for transgender students. Two weeks ago, it voted to bring in a notoriously anti-LGBTQ organization, the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom, to review the boards equal educational opportunities policy. In November, the board rejected a policy change that would that would have explicitly allowed transgender students to use bathrooms that aligned with their identity, essentially thumbing its nose at Virginia law and federal rulings. Hanover County Public Schools resisted the byproduct of Johns protest as a participant in Virginias Massive Resistance to school desegregation. And nowadays, the Hanover School Board has obviously indicated they have no intention of supporting trans and non-binary children of Hanover, said Christopher Berg, whose daughter and non-binary child participated in a protest Friday at Atlee High School. The day before, Atlees principal and the districts director of secondary education sent a message to Atlee families warning of an unapproved student walkout. It urged students to abide by the Code of Student Conduct by reporting to and staying in their designated, supervised areas during instructional time. We also remind students that they are not permitted outside of the school unsupervised as a matter of safety. Students who do not follow these expectations will be held accountable for their actions in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct. Chris Whitley, assistant superintendent for community engagement and legislative affairs, said Tuesday that the school administration is still evaluating the incident and working through the discipline process. Berg, who said his non-binary child is subjected to abuse at school, said his kids were anxious at the possibility of being suspended but more worried about how their fellow students would respond to the protest on Monday. As it turns out, the school day was no worse than usual, he said. For sure, the Hanover response could have been worse. In October, at a high school in Rome, Ga., students were suspended for planning a protest after white students paraded on campus waving a Confederate flag and using racial slurs, according to Newsweek. We remain committed to helping our students learn about civic engagement and stand ready to help them navigate important, complex, and difficult issues by finding opportunities to give voice to their feelings and perspectives without compromising safety and interrupting our instructional focus, the Hanover school officials said in their message. Sadly, the Hanover School Board telegraphed how little interest it has in giving students voice when it floated a revised citizen participation policy that did not mention students at all. On Friday, the students learned more about civic engagement than they would have inside a classroom. Johns received death threats for her stance and was sent to live with relatives in Alabama. Her family home in Prince Edward County was burned down after the Brown decision. But today, her sculpted likeness can be found at the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial, with Hill, Robinson and others. Soon, a statue of her will grace the U.S. Capitol. The Hanover students are following her path toward the right side of history. When a scofflaw school board colludes with an anti-LGBTQ outfit to advance an agenda against transgender kids, student conduct is not the problem. Dubai accounts for 57% of scaleup funding in the Mena region, while the emirate is home to 39% of the regions scaleups, according to a new report by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy in cooperation with Mind the Bridge and Crunchbase. The report, titled UAE Venture Outlook, examines key trends reshaping the maturing entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region, and highlighted the leading roles of the UAE and Dubai in attracting promising scaleups and tech giants. The number of scaleups in Mena saw exponential growth in 2021, compared to 2020, as 587 scaleups were accounted for in the region by December 2021, compared to 139 in the previous year. Mena scaleups have collectively attracted $9.1 billion, representing 0.12% of the regions GDP. Data shows that a few countries are driving the effort of the Mena region to compete with the top global tech ecosystems. On a country level, the UAE accounted for the largest number of scaleups (251) which attracted the majority of funding in the region, or 59%, having raised $5.4 billion. Meanwhile, Dubai alone accounted for 57% of funding, as the emirate is home to a major of the regions tech giants. Saudi Arabia came second as the kingdom is home to 106 scaleups (18.1% of total) that raised a total of $1.2 billion of growth funds. Egypt ranks third, accounting for 84 scaleups and $1.4 billion raised. The report revealed that 26 Mena scaleups (4.4% of total) relocated their headquarters inside the region to boost their growth. The UAE was the preferred destination for relocation with 8 scaleups setting up in the country, followed by Saudi Arabia with 7, and Egypt (4). Additionally, a total of 41 scaleups opted to expand their footprint beyond Mena, primarily to the US (13), the UK (5), France (5), India (3), and Canada (2). Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications and Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy said the findings of the report reflect ongoing efforts to advance Dubais digital economy and create a conducive environment in the emirate for scaleups to thrive and grow. Despite its vast competitive advantages, the UAE continues to add more incentives for businesses and startups. The introduction of golden visas, green visas, freelancer and entrepreneur visas are all bold and positive steps the country has taken to boost its value proposition, said Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chambers. Venture capital is a crucial element needed to nurture thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems and advance digital economies. We will continue to work closely with public and private sector stakeholders to ensure a conducive environment for VC firms and investors, as well as entrepreneurs from around the world, Buamim added. TradeArabia News Service HICKORY Michael McRee, a 1962 alumnus of Catawba Valley Community College, donated several historical items back to his college recently. McRee donated a map that is more than 130 years old along with drafting tools, instruments, and textbooks from his time as a student at Catawba County Industrial Educational Center (CCIEC), which eventually became Catawba Valley Community College. It is wonderful when one of our alumni gives back to our college, said CVCC President Garrett Hinshaw. Mr. Michael McRee is a great representative of the thousands of individuals that we have been honored to serve throughout our history here at CVCC. Included in McRees donation is a land ownership map of Catawba County from 1886 tying back to his passion for genealogy and family history research that he began in 1975, his drafting toolset and a textbook he used in his drafting and design technology classes. My dad built the frame for the map, and he died in 1980. He probably framed it in the 1960s or 70s, McRee said. What Im afraid of is with this map and all of these artifacts that if I dont take care of it now and something happens to me, where does it go? What happens to it? This map is a great addition to the genealogy section in the CVCC library if anyone wants to go back 140 years. This isnt the first time McRee has donated to CVCC. Hes previously given to the genealogy program in the colleges library. McRee is one of the first 24 graduates of what is now known as Catawba Valley Community College. "As an alumnus of CVCC, it is an honor to know Mr. McRee one of the first alumni of CCIEC, said Melanie Zimmermann, alumni affairs officer with the CVCC Foundation. He is a member of the first graduating class of 1962 the class that began the educational journey for many CCIEC, CVTI, CVTC, and CVCC alumni. Mr. McRees gift of textbooks, tools, and instruments used in his first CCIEC design and drafting technology class, and in his career until his retirement, is an invaluable addition to our history. I am excited to see it on display in the lobby of the Workforce Solution Complex. The CVCC Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation with the mission to foster and promote the growth, progress, and general welfare of CVCC. For more information about CVCC Foundation, contact Executive Director Jennifer Jones at 828-327-7000, ext. 4288, or jjones555@cvcc.edu. For more information about the CVCC Alumni Association, contact Melanie Zimmermann, 828-327-7000, ext. 4598, or mzimmermann@cvcc.edu. The motion to delay a wrongful death lawsuit against an Alexander County woman charged in the shooting death of a co-worker was denied Monday in Catawba County Superior Court. Justin Marlow filed a civil lawsuit against Tangela Parker in July 2021 related to the shooting death of his wife. Michelle Marlow was killed Jan. 13, 2021, at the TCS Designs furniture plant in Hickory. Parker is charged with first-degree murder in Michelle Marlows death, according to court documents. Parker requested the civil case against her be delayed until after the murder trial. Parkers criminal defense attorney, Victoria Jayne, argued Parker could be at risk of an unfair trial in criminal court if the civil case moves forward. She said Parker might implicate herself during the discovery portion of the civil case if she answered questions. My client is charged with first-degree murder. She was charged before the civil action was filed, Jayne said. You cant get any more dangerous than that, when you consider whether or not she could be or should be compelled to participate in a civil proceeding at this time. Parker was brought to the courthouse but decided not to appear at Mondays hearing after speaking with Jayne. Parker does not have an attorney for the civil case. Jayne argued the motion on behalf of Parker. Justin Marlow was present at the hearing with attorney Lyndon Helton. Helton argued Parkers constitutional rights would not be violated because she is not required to answer questions that could implicate her in the murder trial. (Tangela Parker) is very fortunate that she lives in America, and she has the benefit of the Fifth Amendment, Helton said. As she has done in the criminal case, where she has been charged with murder, she has asserted her right to Fifth Amendment. Shes not going to give testimony. I believe that Miss Jayne acknowledged thats going to happen in the civil case also. Helton also argued that some witnesses are elderly and delaying the civil case might increase the chances of witnesses forgetting information. After listening to both attorneys, Judge Gregory Hayes denied the defendants motion to stay the civil wrongful death action against Parker. During the civil hearing, Jayne also said the media coverage of the case was cause for concern. She claimed it could make it difficult for Parker to receive a fair trial for her murder charge. Jayne also said Parkers parents had reportedly been threatened. Its not just a speculative concern. The jury pool in this county may well be tainted, Jayne said. We know that witnesses have been contacted. We know that officers have been contacted. We may go into criminal court and we may find the need to seek a gag order, if thats what it takes in order to maintain the integrity of this case and to make sure that my client receives a fair trial. After the hearing, Jayne said she was not surprised the motion was denied. She said she would continue doing everything in her power to protect her client. 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 fire destroyed the roof and charred the inside of a house in Hickory on Sunday afternoon. Shortly after noon, the Hickory Fire Department was called to a structure fire at 617 First Ave. SE, a release from the fire department said. When firefighters got to the home, they reported fire and smoke coming from the roof of the single-story house. There was heavy smoke inside, the release said. The firefighters checked to make sure all occupants were outside, then extinguished the fire. The fire was caused by an electric heater that was too close to flammable material, the release said. One person lived in the house. The American Red Cross is assisting the resident, the release said. The power to the house was cut off after the fire, Fire Education Coordinator Terri Byers said. " " A U.S. Army soldier from the 14th Infantry points a submachine gun at photographer Dickey Chapelle, who is behind the camera. The photo was taken while she was in Panama during World War II. Dickey Chapelle/Wisconsin Historical Society In the month since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine, the world has watched the horrors unfold live on television and social media. The images have been graphic and shocking, demonstrating the absolute worst of humanity. But the pictures have shown another side of war, too. There are the images of brave Ukrainians staying behind to fight for their country. And photos of the women and children who have trekked miles into the arms of myriad volunteers waiting to clothe, feed and house them. These photos highlight the absolute best of humanity. Advertisement Both sides of this story are being photographed by men and women simply doing their jobs war photographers and correspondents. They're bravely documenting the injustices of war, just as these nine photographers did before them, starting with one man who is considered the father of photojournalism for how he documented the U.S. Civil War. Editor's note: The images that follow were taken during wartime and may be too graphic for some readers. In addition, in deference to the photographer's vision, HowStuffWorks did not crop the photos that follow to our usual site dimensions. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has said his government will lead Australia to a target of 1.2 million technology-related jobs by 2030, a target ACS says is far too low to be meaningful. Albanese donned a high-vis vest for his press conference at a warehouse in Sydney on Thursday where he announced the Oppositions plan to improve tech skills in Australia, should it form government at the next election. All of these policies go together to add up to a future made in Australia, and a better future here, Albanese told journalists. We have an opportunity to learn from the pandemic and to build back stronger, to build a stronger economy one that works for people, not people just working for an economy. Labors five-point plan involves offering government support for 450,000 fee-free TAFE places and 20,000 university places focusing on the skills shortage alongside the establishment of a National Reconstruction Fund and an agency called Jobs and Skills Australia. The plan also includes 2,000 places at accredited startup accelerators to help entrepreneurs grow their business, alongside financial support as part of the Oppositions Buy Australian Plan which seeks to change government procurement rules to favour Australian firms. Labor opted to adopt the 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030 target from the Tech Council of Australia a lobby group for Australian tech companies and the local arms of international giants like Microsoft and Google. But according to the ACS Digital Pulse 2021 report, the annual growth rate of Australias technology workforce is 5.4 per cent and is forecast to hit the 1.2 million mark by around 2027 anyway, three years ahead of the Oppositions target. ACS President Dr Nick Tate said as pleased as he was to see Albanese commit to a stronger technology workforce, he wants to see politicians reach even higher. Given the technology sector is key to Australias continued prosperity, future living standards and competitiveness and industry is needing skills in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and data analytics ACS believes we should be more ambitious in our targets, Dr Tate said. We would like all of our political leaders to consider how critical a digitally-skilled workforce will be to Australia over coming decades and look to the longer term and bigger picture issues facing our 21st century economy. ACS has outlined its own set of priorities for how the next government can improve the digital economy which includes a focus on diversity and inclusion, more funding for digital technologies education in schools, employer tax credits, and a large pool of money looking at the digital economy in regional Australia. A mutual recognition agreement between Australia and India could prove critical for students in both countries, as Australia struggles to plug IT skills gaps and India fights to counter quality issues that have left nearly half of graduates unemployable. Taskforce members from Indian and Australian educational institutions will work with stakeholders to identify areas where Indian qualifications whether acquired through online learning, blended learning, joint degrees or offshore campuses can be recognised as equivalent to those provided by Australian institutions. Education remains key to the bilateral relationship between Australia and India, said Stuart Robert, Acting Minister for Education and Youth, in announcing the taskforce. This collaboration will serve both countries by expanding cooperation in education, and optimising mobility outcomes for Australian and Indian students and graduates. [and] underpin trade in professional services between Australia and India. Designed to support the Australian Strategy for International Education 2021-2030 a guiding document, released late last year, designed to revive Australias pandemic-hit international education market the recognition of overseas qualifications is crucial to enabling degree-qualified professionals to move more easily between the countries. This mobility, in turn, is critical for boosting the supply of trained graduates to employers finding that Australias universities alone simply cannot supply enough trained engineers, computer scientists, and other professionals to meet surging demand. Sectors such as cyber security, quantum computing, computer science, and others have all struggled to deal with the tech talent mismatch, particularly since Australias pandemic-era border closures sent blocked access to talented overseas individuals and sent thousands of students home. With borders open again and recommendations for liberalisation of visa requirements to entice a broader range of overseas skills, mutual recognition could improve access to Indias massive base of students and recent graduates. It could also be a game-changer for students at Indian universities, where post-graduation job prospects are dim: just 46.8 per cent of engineering (B.E./B.Tech) graduates were rated employable in the countrys latest India Skills Report, which reported even lower outcomes for other degrees. Employability for Indian graduates has actually declined since 2015, when only 54 per cent of graduates were rated employable. No longer a no-brainer Indias low employability numbers highlight chronic problems with the quality of Indias tertiary sector, which a recent DFAT analysis concluded cannot meet the demand for education on its own due to the patchy quality that stems from a lack of educational oversight and curriculum standards. Getting education right is critical for India to maximise the potential of its demographic dividend by ensuring its millions of young people are equipped to enter the workforce and able to adjust to rapid technological change, the analysis concluded. Australia should look to increase the number of high calibre Indian students at its universities and deepen two-way research links while continuing to welcome Indian students who seek an Australian education primarily for a migration outcome. While Australian universities quality control has kept their degrees desirable for students and valuable for employers, pandemic border closures have seen many Indian students deciding to study in Canada, the UK, and US costing Australias economy $4 billion every six months, according to Mitchell Institute modelling conducted late last year. The new mutual-recognition taskforce will aim to help recover Australias primacy amongst Indian students and graduates, with ongoing free-trade negotiations canvassing the possibility of allowing Indian students to extend their Australian visas for three to five years. Yet restoring Australian universities reputations may take time, with a recent Lowy Institute analysis identifying significant negative sentiment towards Australian education among English-speaking Indians who comprise around 1 in 5 international students in Australia. This change in sentiment could hit Australias IT industry particularly hard given that Indian students comprise 35 per cent of all international IT students more than any other country while the number studying engineering-related courses is second only to China. A recently released Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) discussion paper floated ideas for increasing the diversity of students at Australian universities, noting the risks of an international student body in which the top 5 source markets China, India, Nepal, Vietnam, and Malaysia account for 72 per cent of international enrolments. This imbalance was a key area of concern for the sector due to its implications for student experience and business resilience, DESE concluded, and one which required further engagement to identify the best way forward. Officials at Booker T. Washington National Monument, about 20 miles outside Roanoke, Virginia, are asking the public for help in unraveling one of its biggest mysteries. Hidden away in a section of the park just off its Jack O Lantern Trail rests a cemetery that predates much of the known history of the former plantation. The historic site is named for Booker T. Washington, a leading Black intellectual and founder of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, now Tuskegee University. He was born enslaved on the property in 1856. A cemetery at the site has few markings to provide context to who was buried there or when they were buried. Its definitely one of the biggest mysteries at the park, said Tim Sims, senior park ranger. Archaeologist with New South Associates recently began taking a deeper look into the cemetery, commonly referred to as the Sparks Cemetery and named for a person who once lived nearby. Their recently completed work provided a bit more understanding about the cemetery, but there are still few clues about who may be buried there. This is the most focused project to figure out who is interred at the Sparks Cemetery, Sims said. There is little information to go on for researchers. The cemetery is thought to have graves dating from the early to late 1800s. Only one headstone has a marking that can be read. The headstone, barely legible, was thought to be marked with the words SID in one area and here in another, among other writing. Sims said the archaeologists believe the SID is actually something closer to S and D which could point to early owner of the property Jesse Dillon Sr., who purchased the property in 1786 based on records. The D could stand for Dillon. The Dillon family sold the property to Thomas Burroughs in 1833. The family later established the Burroughs estate in 1850. Enslaved Blacks on the property included Booker T. Washington, his mother and his siblings. Sims said another likely scenario is that the cemetery could be where enslaved people at the Burroughs estate were buried. The Burroughs family cemetery is in another section of the park. There is documentation that at least one enslaved person died at the estate. The records dont provide details of where the person was buried, Sims said. There is also a possibility that the cemetery could have graves of enslaved people and early settlers, such as Dillon family members. He said separating cemeteries based on race was not something that was done until around the time of the Civil War. Before that time, it wasnt uncommon for whites and Blacks to be buried in the same cemetery, Sims said. Due to the research from archaeologists, the number of known graves at the cemetery has also increased. Devices using electric resistivity and ground-penetrating radar were used to take a closer look at the site without disturbing the graves. Park staff originally believed there were only 12 to 13 graves at the cemetery, based on markings above ground. Based on the recent research, they believe the number of graves is likely closer to 41. Sims said the graves extend outside of the current fencing at the cemetery. Plans are already underway to expand the fencing to include the newly discovered graves, he said. While some new details have come to light, there is still a mystery of who is buried in the graves. In an effort to finally answer those questions, New South Associates and park staff are reaching out to the public for help. Sims said there could be family history about the cemetery passed down from relatives who are buried there. There could also be documents about the cemetery stored away in old Bibles passed from generation to generation. Some of the Black families who have lived near the cemetery include the Brown, Holland, Divers, Burroughs, Ferguson, Taylor, Green, Harris, English, Edwards, Starkey, Swain, Saunders, Childress and Dudley families. Sims said the names of the families were found in property deeds, records of enslaved people and federal census records. After the Dillons and Burroughs, a man named Sparks, whom the cemetery is named for, lived in the area. The property was eventually sold to John D. and Martha Robertson in 1893. Sidney Phillips purchased the property in 1945, and it was turned into the Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial. It became a national monument in 1956. People with information on anyone possibly buried in the Sparks Cemetery are asked to contact Velma Fann, historian, at New South Associates at 770-498-4155, x126 or vfann@newsouthassoc.com. President of Poland Andrzej Duda thanked Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who arrived on a visit to Poland to convey his blessing to refugees from Ukraine. "It is a great honor for us to welcome His Holiness the Patriarch of Constantinople to our land, especially at such a difficult time. We have found shelter for the wives and children of the defenders of Ukraine. Today, His Holiness came to the refugees from Ukraine to bless them," Duda was quoted as saying by the Office of the President of Poland on Twitter on Monday. Duda assured that the Poles, like most of the free world, from the first day of aggression against Ukraine know who is the victim and who is the aggressor, who is defending the Motherland and who is killing innocent people. "I assure you that all honest people present on our political stage express their gratitude for the visit of His Holiness to Poland, and all believers will join the prayer for peace in Ukraine," the President stressed. Also, the Office of the President of Poland reported that on Friday, April 1, Duda will attend an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican. To understand the role of the Chamber of Commerce, it helps to review the structure of the Chamber organization as well as the history. My last article described the early formation, the widespread membership, and impact of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in our society. For this week, Ill touch on the history, but more importantly, the services, resources, and role of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. A core group of professionals formed the Illinois Chamber in 1919, as one of the first statewide business organizations in the nation. In 1919, their goal was to promote and protect the business climate of Illinois, which remains relevant today. Today, their mission statement is to be The unifying leader of policies that support growth in Illinois dynamic and diverse economy. Thus, their activities focus on representing the business community at the state level, working with state representatives, senators and the governors office to improve and advance a pro-business agenda. The Illinois Chamber, including policy experts and business lobbyists, provides businesses a voice in Springfield to advocate for pro-business policy decisions. Services and resources available via the State Chamber of Commerce include: Illinois Chamber Action: Through this department, employers and employees can obtain information and materials that explain, in simple language and a nonpartisan way, the importance of state and federal elections. Business Resource Center: In accordance with federal and state regulations, this center is a resource for necessary tools to maintain compliance. Training Programs: The state chamber provides training by industry experts for business at all levels. My hope for this series is that our members and community recognize and utilize the resources available through our local and state organization. My next column will focus on the Charleston Chamber organization and its role in the community. Doug Abolt is president and CEO for the Charleston Area 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. 100 years ago, March 28, 1922 MATTOON M.L. Engler of the University of Illinois has returned to Urbana after meeting with C.L. James, Mattoon waterworks superintendent, discussing modification of the dam at Paradise Lake. Instead of filling up the old spillway, Mr. Engler has proposed raising the spillway three feet and extending it 100 feet, giving the spillway a length of 350 feet. This was decided upon after recent heavy rains to guard against flooding. At the time the lake was at its highest, it looked as though the spillway would be washed away due to its short length. In order to guard against a similar condition, the changes will be made MATTOON At the regular meeting today, members of the Mattoon Rotary Club learned that the president of the University of Illinois will be a future guest speaker. The club also discussed two community projects. David Kinley, president of the state university, has accepted an invitation to speak to the Mattoon club at a future date. The exact date has not been set. Members also discussed helping boys who get in meshes with the law. Club Secretary Evans deplored the sending of boys to the state reform school, which he called a breeding place for criminals. A committee was appointed to look after such cases. Mr. Evans also brought to the club the idea of getting behind a movement to build a public swimming pool. A committee was appointed to investigate the subject. 50 years ago, 1972 MATTOON Committee chairmen have been named for the campaign to gain passage of the $1.6 million bond referendum for sewer upgrades. The announcement was made by Eugene Hogan, general chairman of the citizens committee seeking support for the referendum, and Tim Helton, chairman of a get out the vote committee. Chairmen of the various committees include Lee Foreman, Gary Freeland, Fred Sell, Dave Stapleton, George Stone, Phil Weller, Dan Smith, Jim Bennett, Rev. Ernie Henson, O. Glenn Smith, Sam Owen, Gail Lumpkin, Joan Wykis, Wesley Payton, Bob Jones, Charles Womack and Gene M. Clark DECATUR Obed Henderson of Mattoon, past president of the Lincoln Trails Toastmaster Club of Mattoon, won the traveling trophy in area wide competition at Decatur this weekend. This is the second year Henderson has won the trophy. If he wins the area competition again next year the trophy will be his to keep. Hendersons topic for the area competition was Happiness Is. He will compete in the divisional contest April 22 in Litchfield. 25 years ago, 1997 CHARLESTON State agriculture statistics confirm what many local farmers know the 1996 season was not a bumper year in East-Central Illinois. For the first time in the past five years, the corn and soybean yields throughout the seven-county area averaged fewer bushels per acre than the state average. The average corn yield in the Charleston-Mattoon areas seven counties last fall was 120.6 bushels an acre. Statewide, farmers harvested an average of 136 bushels an acre. Soybean yields in the seven counties averaged 38.35 bushels an acre, compared to the statewide average of 40.5 bushels. In the seven counties, corn yields ranged from a high of 141 bushels in Moultrie County to a low of 97 bushels an acre in Cumberland County. For beans, the high was 43.5 bushels in Douglas County with Shelby County the lowest at 32.5 bushels CHARLESTON Two teens and a neighbor helped save two children and three dogs from a fire Sunday. The home of Frank and Carla Leo on North 11th Street was destroyed in the blaze. Jimmy DeVoss, 15, and Jesse Moore, 13, were watching the Leos two small children when they noticed flames in the bathroom. Moore ran next door to his grandmothers house where her stepson, Steve Strong, also was. Strong and the two teens got the two children, ages 5 and 8, along with the dogs, out of the house safely. DeVoss ran back in the house to call the fire department. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The SADAI official with the minister Four startups including three e-commerce companies and a HealthTech firm a leading global accelerator and a venture capital fund will invest up to $608.25 million in Saudi Arabia, creating 2,400 jobs. The new licences were announced by Saudi Arabias Ministry of Investment (MISA) at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress from March 27 to 30, and are evidence of the kingdoms burgeoning start-up and venture capital ecosystem. Khalid Al Falih, Minister of Investment, said: As the world continues to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs are shaping our new normal. In Saudi Arabia the start-up scene is thriving, and there is enormous potential for venture capitalists. An enhanced regulatory environment and our recently launched National Investment Strategy are unleashing opportunities not previously available in the kingdom and these new investments are a result of the economic transformation happening now under Vision 2030. The new deals The deals announced include a fund value of $375 million by imVentures, a venture capital fund that offers venture lending as well as equity. It will create 500 new jobs. PLUGANDPLAY, the world's largest early-stage investor, accelerator, and corporate innovation platform will have a fund size of $93.75 million and providing 50 new jobs. A direct investment of $50 million by Cartlow, a leading re-commerce startup, which offers pre-owned, refurbished, open box and clearance products that are tested and certified by experts. It will create 500 new jobs. Soum, an AI powered C2C market place for second-hand products, will invest $15 million and 500 new jobs. Rabbitmart, an on-demand ultra-fast delivery company with the promise of delivering groceries and other goods under 20 minutes will invest $52.5 million and provide 700 new jobs. Smileneo, a health tech company enabling doctors to be part of the digitalisation of teeth straightening will invest $22 million and create 150 new jobs. Supporting startups At the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, MISA also announced the signing of three MoUs with Saudi entities Monshaat and the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence and to further support startups in the kingdom and foster entrepeneurship. The deals and MoUs announced by MISA are the latest demonstration of the Ministrys commitment to supporting and growing the kingdoms entrepreneurship ecosystem, and follows last weeks announcement of a partnership with JADA Fund of Funds to stimulate the kingdoms flourishing start-up sector through a new Catalyse Saudi engagement platform. The Global Entrepreneurship Congress is an inter-disciplinary gathering of startup champions from around the world, ranging from entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, thought leaders, and policymakers, to share and strengthen new approaches to empower entrepreneurs and increase innovation. Entrepreneurial ecosystem Under a theme of Reboot, Rethink, Regenerate: Building One Global Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, the annual GEC event was attended by leaders from across the kingdoms government, illustrating its collaborative approach to boosting the Saudi entrepreneurialism ecosystem. Over four days, participants explored the role of entrepreneurs in the technology, tourism, mobility and sports sectors as the world adapts their economies to changes in consumer behaviour.-- TradeArabia News Service CHICAGO - Offended when his roommates kicked him out because he was late on rent, a 33-year-old man set three fires at his South Shore building, including one that erupted when he lit a baby stroller ablaze, prosecutors said. Cook County Judge Barbara Dawkins denied bail for Lawrence Bostic, charged with residential arson, aggravated arson and failure to register within 10 days as an arsonist, prosecutors said at a hearing audio streamed on YouTube Saturday afternoon. Bostic, who lived in the building in the 6800 block of South Clyde Avenue, had two roommates who repeatedly asked him to leave because he failed to pay his portion of rent, prosecutors said. During the most recent blaze, March 5, Bostic was caught on video surveillance standing over a fire with lighter fluid in his hand. That fire destroyed at least 12 units, left several residents displaced and caused about $1 million in damage, prosecutors said. During another one of the blazes, which never injured anyone, one of his roommates opened his door to see the apartment was on fire and was able to extinguish it before it spread, prosecutors said. In a third, Bostics roommate heard glass breaking and peered out to a back porch, where he saw Bostic dousing a stroller with lighter fluid, prosecutors said. Before denying bail, Judge Dawkins said he was a danger to his roommates, other residents of his building and others living on his block. The embers of the fire could have spread, she said. All because he was told he wasnt welcomed in a place. Judge Dawkins then addressed the failure to register as a convicted arsonist charge, something put in place to inform the public of a possible threat. Details of that conviction were not immediately available. A public defender representing Bostic said he has two daughters and volunteers at a food pantry at a South Shore church. Bostic, of the 6000 block of South Harper Avenue, was due back in court on April 1, court records show. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Intersect Illinois, the states public-private economic development arm, has launched a $1 million digital marketing campaign, Be In Illinois, aimed at luring companies to locate beyond the city limits of Chicago. After six years of leadership changes, dwindling resources and a low profile, Intersect Illinois may have its work cut out for it. This is a bit of a new start for Illinois in this area, said Dan Seals, 50, a business and political veteran named CEO of Intersect Illinois in September. Were going to be making a very targeted campaign toward companies to make the case for Illinois. On the heels of Chicagos guerrilla marketing campaign Chicago Not in Chicago, the inaugural state economic development pitch under Seals could well be subtitled, Illinois Not in Chicago. Seals is leading a concerted effort to draw businesses from six industries where Illinois is most competitive: manufacturing, electric vehicles, technology, life sciences, logistics and agribusiness. The goal is to get downstate Illinois in the conversation for putting down corporate roots, while building up the states image as a breeding ground for unicorns such as Rivian, the EV startup that began production last year from a renovated plant in Normal. Illinois has a central location, a skilled workforce and an excellent infrastructure, Seals said. That makes it a great place to do business. Intersect Illinois helped Rivian negotiate the deal to buy the shuttered Mitsubishi plant for $16 million from a liquidation firm in January 2017. Rivian now has 4,750 employees working at its Normal production facility, and a market cap north of $40 billion. But the victories have been few and far between since then-Gov. Bruce Rauner founded Intersect Illinois in 2016, following the lead of similar public-private economic development organizations in states such as Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. While Intersect Illinois claims it has brought 15,800 jobs and $4.7 billion in investment to the state, it has struggled to gain traction or private financial support, dwindling to a skeletal operation in recent years. In 2020, Intersect Illinois had revenues of about $1.55 million, of which the state supplied 93%, according to the organizations most recent annual report. Thats less than one-fifth of the typical annual budget at World Business Chicago, the citys public-private economic development arm. A business executive perhaps best known for three failed bids as a Democratic candidate for the 10th Congressional District on the North Shore, Seals was appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to resurrect Intersect Illinois. Loop Capital CEO Jim Reynolds, who has served on the Intersect Illinois board since its inception and was elevated to chairman by Pritzker, said the political impasse between Rauner and then-House Speaker Michael Madigan essentially neutered the nascent economic development effort, drying up public and private support. The fighting that was occurring in Springfield back then, when Intersect was launched, just put it so far in the hole that it just never was going to work, said Reynolds, 67. But its a different time now. Reynolds, who is also a board member on World Business Chicago, said the citys economic development arm can be both a blueprint and a more active partner for Intersect Illinois. Founded as a private enterprise in 1999, World Business Chicago merged the following year with the taxpayer-funded Chicago Partnership for Economic Development, building on its mission to draw new business to the city. The organization extended its recruitment efforts internationally under then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Chicago was recently named the top metro for corporate investment for the ninth consecutive year by Site Selection magazine, with a record 441 companies relocating to or expanding in the Chicago area during 2021. The corporate influx brought more than $2.8 billion in investments, 18,368 jobs and 59 million square feet of space to Chicago and the suburbs, according to Site Selection. Companies ranged across industries from technology and manufacturing to consumer goods, and included Natures Fynd, Discover Financial Services and John Deere, which plans to hire more than 300 new IT workers at its new Fulton Market offices. Reynolds wants to foster more cooperation and communication between the city and state organizations, working together to facilitate recruitment of businesses across municipal lines. He is encouraging Seals to meet with Michael Fassnacht, president and CEO of World Business Chicago, on a regular basis. Its a natural partnership that just never got off the ground before, Reynolds said. And were getting it off the ground now. Hoping to stretch a relatively small marketing budget, Intersect Illinois has created a focused digital advertising campaign with the Chicago office of communications firm Edelman. If all goes right, most people in Illinois will never see it, Seals said. The campaign will be aimed at decision-makers in the six industries Illinois seeks to reach, targeting them with ads on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, and steering them to a new recruitment website at beinillinois.org, which went live this week. EVs are a great case in point, Seals said. Weve got a great ecosystem that were building here in Illinois. And so we want to reach folks in the EV business nationwide with our marketing. In November, Pritzker signed the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, which incentivizes EV manufacturers to locate in the state through tax credits, including up to 100% of income tax withheld for new jobs created. The legislation also allows local municipalities to abate property taxes for EV projects. EVs are proving to be fertile ground for Illinois. In 2020, Intersect helped recruit Netherlands-based EVBox, a leading builder of charging stations, to open its North American headquarters in Libertyville. It also helped lure Canadian EV truck manufacturer Lion Electric to convert a Joliet warehouse into a factory to produce up to 20,000 electric trucks and buses a year, with production slated to begin later this year. While Illinois is taking a targeted approach to economic development campaigns, other states have engaged in bigger, and sometimes more provocative efforts aimed at poaching business from Illinois. In 2019, Kentucky launched a billboard campaign along Interstate 57 urging Illinois businesses to head south across state lines for lower taxes and fewer regulations. Illinois has a 9.5% marginal corporate income tax rate one of the highest in the nation while Kentucky has a 5% corporate tax rate, according to the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization. Texas, which has no corporate income tax, has frequently taken aim at Illinois. In 2013, then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry bought a slew of radio and newspaper ads in Chicago before heading to the city on a mission to recruit Illinois employers to pull up stakes and head to the Lone Star State. A delegation from the Texas Economic Development Corporation made a similar recruiting trip to Chicago in 2016. In September, World Business Chicago fired back, taking out a full-page ad in the Sunday Dallas Morning News inviting businesses to head north after Texas passed restrictive abortion and voting legislation. I think the whole billboard approach is great to get people talking. I think it is horrible to get businesses to relocate, Seals said. It just doesnt make sense to place an ad where 99% plus of the people who see it actually arent businesses who are interested in relocating. A University of Chicago MBA who formerly was assistant director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Seals ticked off the selling points visitors to the Be In Illinois website will see: The fifth largest economy in the U.S. More Fortune 500 companies than all but three states. More engineers produced annually by Illinois universities than MIT, Stanford and Caltech combined. While Intersects campaign will not target Illinois viewers, Seals encouraged them to visit the website, saying the states self-image could use a boost, and the economic development efforts could use a few million more emissaries. I think theres a wide gap between our perception of ourselves as a place to do business and our reality of Illinois as a place to do business, Seals said. There seems to be this lack of confidence in who we are. But our assets far outweigh our liabilities, and we shouldnt be shy about making the case for Illinois. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Tuesday is National Vietnam Veterans Day and in honor of that, todays Ask SAM is about Lawrence Joel, the citys most highly-decorated soldier and namesake of Lawrence Joel Coliseum. Q: Wasnt Lawrence Joel awarded the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War? What was the citation of his heroic act? L.R. Answer: Joel was an Army medic who won the Medal of Honor for his actions in 1967 during the Vietnam War. According to the citation read by President Johnson in March 1967 when Joel was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Joel was shot twice on Nov. 8, 1965, during a 24-hour battle on Hill 65 near Bien Hoa, the Journals Scott Sexton wrote in a column in 2007. Despite his injuries and the fact that most of the soldiers in the lead elements of his company were killed or wounded, he continued to treat the remaining wounded at great personal risk. The citation credits him for saving the lives of at least 13 troopers throughout the battle. According to the citation, after Joel ran out of medical supplies, he placed a plastic bag over the chest injury of a fellow soldier to congeal the blood and saved the soldiers life. His meticulous attention to duty saved a large number of lives and his unselfish, daring example under most adverse conditions was an inspiration to all. Joel died in 1984, and the city named its new coliseum in honor of him and his fellow veterans in 1986. In 2012, to commemorate Joels 84 birthday, his family shared some of their memorabilia with the public. Among the items on display at Joel Coliseum were his Medal of Honor, the commendation, medals, and pictures. His daughter, Deborah Joel, said at the time, We have a treasure chest of military history, and we want to share it. We wanted to thank the city for honoring him. On that day in 1965, Joels unit had been sent out to check on reports of enemy activity in the area. The unit found the enemy and the U.S. troops were vastly outnumbered. As troops were wounded, Joel took care of them. He was wounded twice, but continued to take care of his buddies. Joel was presented the Medal of Honor by President Lyndon Johnson on March 9, 1967, in a ceremony at the White House. In addition, Joel also received the Bronze Star, the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. One of the people who came to the 2012 exhibit was one of the soldiers who was treated by Joel that day. Art Thomas came from his home in Graham to see the display. He saved my life. The only reason Im standing here today is because of him, Thomas said, his voice cracking with emotion. There was about 80 men out there that day, (and) 48 of them are on the wall in Washington. Thomas said he was wounded soon after the battle started, and it took Joel a while to get to him. Joel gave Thomas a shot of morphine to kill the pain until help arrived and the wounded could be evacuated. Joel deserved every honor he got, Thomas said. A lot of us are fathers and grandfathers now because he was there. The Army honored Joels memory by naming clinics at Fort Bragg and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in his memory. Although Walter Reed Army Medical Center has closed, an auditorium there was named for Joel. Email: AskSAM@wsjournal.com Write: Ask SAM, 418 N. Marshall St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101 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. BRYSON CITY Wind-driven wildfires in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park have burned hundreds of acres in western North Carolina and forced the evacuation of several homes, authorities said. The fires also prompted officials to close several trails and backcountry campsites in the nation's most-visited national park, which covers more than 520,000 acres straddling the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. Crews from the National Park Service, North Carolina Forest Service, Bryson City Fire Department and Bureau of Indian Affairs were working to contain what they are calling the Thomas Divide Complex Fire. The blaze consists of two separate fires the 140-acre Stone Pile Fire and the 170-acre Cooper Creek Fire. Officials said both fires were started from power lines knocked down by high winds and were estimated to be 10% contained as of late Saturday night. The National Weather Service issued "red flag" warnings for several western North Carolina counties on Saturday and again on Sunday, meaning a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures could lead to "extreme fire behavior." Officials said 15 to 20 homes near Stone Pile Gap Road, Coopers Creek Road and McCracken Road were evacuated and two abandoned trailers had been destroyed in the fire. A recent study indicates the sounds of nature may improve mental health and help us relax and recover in these stressful times. I can report from personal experience the sounds of two dogs barking at chirping invisible robot birds do not. A March 23 news release the University of Exeter in the UK said this: The sounds of nature could help us recover from mental fatigue, but this power may be under threat as ecosystems deteriorate and people disconnect from the natural world Led by a team from the University of Exeter, the study analyzed data from over 7,500 people collected as part of the BBCs multi award-winning series, Forest 404, an eco-thriller podcast that depicted a dystopian world devoid of nature. Those taking part in the study listened to a variety of nature sounds, some with animals and some without. Participants reported therapeutic effects from listening to landscape elements such as breaking waves or falling rain, according to the news release. Hearing wildlife in these environments, and birdsong in particular, enhanced their potential to provide recovery from stress and mental fatigue even further. Around this time, I was an unwitting participant in a similar experiment. Our household received a bird clock for Christmas, a similar yet higher tech version of the old cuckoo clock. At the top of every hour during daylight, a different set of chirping bird sounds off, cheerfully reminding you that time is slipping into the void and you will never get back those 59 minutes between the Wood Thrush and Common Yellowthroat you spent arguing with a stranger on Facebook. Before putting ours on the wall, I checked Amazon reviews to see how others liked their bird clocks. Many did, such as this satisfied customer: I bought this clock for my dad for a Father's Day gift. He is an avid bird watcher and also happens to love clocks. He put it on the wall next to his cuckoo clock, and it fits right in. The sounds are very close to what you would hear from the actual birds. ... He loves feeling like he has even more birds around than what he gets outside his kitchen window. Heres who did not have the same reaction: two dogs living in a house that got a bird clock for Christmas. When it chimed the first time I believe it might have been a Red-winged Blackbird the dogs exploded into a cacophony of angry barking and frantic tail-chasing, as if the mail carrier had arrived at the same time the phone rang and a teen evangelical team knocked on the door with a handful of tracts. It took them 15 minutes to settle down, which was just 44 minutes away from the robotic song of the Yellow Warbler, which ignited yet another canine outburst. The birds are in the house! They are going to peck our eyes out and steal out snacks! The birds are in the house! Did this provide me with recovery from stress and mental fatigue, as the University of Exeter nature-sound study found? Uh, no. Here, nature was in conflict. The dogs hated the birds. The birds would not shut the hell up. I could not figure out how to open the battery cover to persuade them to do so. Thankfully, nature adapts. The dogs eventually learned the invisible chirping robot birds were not going to peck their eyes out and steal their snacks. Nowadays, the clock sounds off with little to no reaction from the dogs. No barking. No frantic tail-chasing. We all enjoy the soothing sounds of nature, relaxing and recovering in these stressful times at least until the mail carrier arrives at the same time the phone rings and a teen evangelical team knocks on the door with a handful of tracts. Scott Hollifield is editor/GM of The McDowell News in Marion, N.C., and a humor columnist. Contact him at rhollifield@mcdowellnews.com. As of Friday, 180 households in Winston-Salem have received a total of $59,487 in reimbursement through a city program for expenses they incurred because of the evacuation during the fire at the Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant on Jan. 31, the city said. The Experiment in Self-Reliance Inc. is administering the program under a contract with the city. Our heart goes out to the households affected by the Weaver Fertilizer Plant fire, said Twana Roebuck, ESRs executive director. We are grateful to be a part of this initiative to help get people back on their feet and encourage all eligible households to make an appointment with ESR to file an application. Appointments can be made online at www.eisr.org or by calling 336-722-9400. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, said Tad Byrum, an assistant fire chief with the Winston-Salem Fire Department. We do not speculate on the length of any fire investigation, Byrum said. The reimbursement program is for Winston-Salem residents who live or work within the evacuation area and have a household income that is 80 percent or less of area median income, which varies by household size and is $55,100 for a family of four, the city said. Households can be reimbursed for hotel bills, meals and other expenses related to the fire, such as replacing air filters in their houses, the city said. Those who were unable to work due to the fire can be reimbursed for lost wages. Only expenses incurred from 9 p.m. Jan. 31 through noon Feb. 4 will be reimbursed, the city said. The city will reimburse each household for no more than $1,000, provided that residents can document their expenses with hotel receipts and receipts for other related expenses. Lost wages must be documented with pay statements that show their pay rate. The $1,000 limit is a maximum reimbursement available per household, no matter the actual expenses and regardless of how many people live at that address, the city said. Households that incurred expenses of less than $1,000 will be reimbursed for their actual expenses. Residents who do not have documentation can be reimbursed up to $300 per household provided they sign a form attesting to their expenses. In February, the Winston-Salem City Council allocated $1 million to assist people who incurred expenses or lost wages when the area within one mile of the Weaver plant was voluntarily evacuated during the fire. Additional details about the reimbursement program are posted at CityofWS.org/Weaver. 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. Wake Forest School of Medicine has been awarded an additional $580,000 federal grant to help develop a culturally and linguistically responsive pain intervention program for Spanish-speaking populations. The grant comes from the National Institutes of Healths HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) initiative and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The two-year grant is supplemental to two five-year grants received in 2019: $25 million from NCIs community oncology research program; and $6.9 million from NCI and the HEAL Initiative to study non-opioid pain management in cancer survivors through a web-based pain management program called painTRAINER. Clinical trial participants must be at least age 18 and at least three months into post-treatment and still having significant cancer- or treatment-related pain. Participants will continue to receive their usual medical care. On average, as many as 40% of people who go through cancer treatment are left with some kind of residual and persistent pain, said Dr. Donald Penzien, professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine. The main focus of the latest grant initiative is lowering the incidence of opioid addiction in the Hispanic community through non-pharmaceutical means, particularly among cancer patients and survivors who can suffer from chronic pain related to treatment for months or even years after the treatment ends. Although non-pharmacological interventions for managing chronic pain can be very effective, these programs often are underused and access to them has been lacking, said Donald Penzien, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the medical school and co-principal investigator of the study. The painTRAINER program simulates in-person, pain-coping training sessions through an online program. Researchers are testing whether this online approach improves coping strategies and function, as well as decreases pain and pain medication use in cancer survivors who have completed treatment, yet still experience moderate to severe pain most days of the week. Enrollees watch a video about cancer pain control, receive printed educational materials addressing cancer pain and receive login instructions for the painTRAINER website. Participants then complete eight weekly online modules that are tailored to their individual needs. Topics include various pain-control practices, such as progressive relaxation, imagery and distraction methods and techniques to identify and change negative thoughts. Currently, however, painTRAINER is available only in English and may not be culturally compatible for diverse racial groups. This work is about so much more than simply translating words into Spanish, said Megan Bennett Irby, a researcher in the medical schools department of psychiatry and behavioral medicine and co-principal investigator. This project harnesses the expertise of the Hispanic community and elevates their voices to build a pain coping-skills program that honors their heritage and fully incorporates their priorities, concerns, needs and assets into every aspect of the research process. With them as the drivers of this research, together we have the potential to create a program that is more relevant to their own cultural experiences and more likely to be sustainable long-term, Irby said. 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. State lawmakers on Tuesday will discuss expanding nurse practitioners duties during a joint legislative oversight committee on Medicaid expansion. The 9:30 a.m. meeting is co-chaired by Forsyth Republican delegation members Sen. Joyce Krawiec and Rep. Donny Lambeth. The committee agenda lists eight topics that branch out from the overarching subject of advanced practice nursing and full practice authority. Full practice authority is defined by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as the authorization of nurse practitioners to evaluate patients, diagnose, order and interpret diagnostic tests and initiate and manage treatments including prescribe medications under the exclusive licensure authority of the state board of nursing. According to the association, North Carolina is one of 11 states mostly in the Southeast that restrict nurse practitioners, while 24 states permit full practice. In North Carolina, nurse practitioners must have career-long supervision, delegation or team management by another health provider in order for the NP to provide patient care, according to the AANP. At the heart of the overall discussion will be the SAVE Act, bipartisan legislation introduced in March 2021 in both chambers. Krawiec is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 249. Although neither bill version was heard in committee during the 2021 session, Krawiec said Monday the legislation has never been placed on the shelf as far as I am concerned. I have been advocating for its passage since it was introduced. Since we are studying ways to improve access to care, this is a perfect time to discuss The SAVE Act. This is one of the issues that will do more to improve access to care, lower costs and improve quality than almost anything we can do, Krawiec said. Lambeth said Monday that discussing the SAVE Act during the meeting, as well as other nursing regulations, is an example of how legislators are evaluating all aspects of ways to improve healthcare in North Carolina. This has been a topic of discussion for years, so we will listen to both sides of this issue. Its understandable that Medicaid expansion has grabbed much of the healthcare reform attention in recent years, said Mitch Kokai, senior policy analyst with Libertarian think tank John Locke Foundation. But, the success of this special committees work will depend on measures that actually increase access to health care, not just health insurance, Kokai said. It shouldnt surprise anyone that one focus for legislators interested in increased access is to allow nurse practitioners to practice to the extent of their training. I suspect that any proposal to expand Medicaid in North Carolina will have to be paired with items like the SAVE Act to have a chance of success, he said. Medicaid expansion Tuesdays meeting is the fourth in a series of Medicaid expansion committee meetings. Medicaid currently covers 2.71 million North Carolinians, which is a 34% increase, or 522,000, since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak surfaced in March 2020. The biggest increase, at 94% or from 205,000 to 402,000, is the category of parents and older adults. Those who might be eligible under the expanded program are those who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid coverage, but not enough to get help in the private insurance marketplace. Even though Medicaid expansion has been a hot-button political issue since North Carolina became eligible to participate in 2012, committee members were content to be mostly in listening mode during the presentation. Lambeth has said the goal is coming up with a recommendation by the fall. Were going to look at anything that will make improvements, Krawiec said. Krawiec has emerged over the past three years as a key GOP health-care reform proponent, but has supported changing the states certificate-of-need laws rather than Medicaid expansion. North Carolina is one of 12 states that has not expanded its Medicaid program through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. 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. An inspiration Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson is an inspiration! She displayed dignity, grace and perseverance as she withstood a barrage of disrespectful questions by a number of Republican senators. When has a male nominee ever been asked to define what is a man? Why was she asked so many questions about critical race theory? Would a white nominee be asked about that? According to abcnews.go.com, Judge Jackson's rulings against pornographers is quite mainstream. Yet, Republican senators continuously hammered her for two days. What was shown was the clownish theatrics of a few senators who twisted the facts, while on the other hand, we witnessed the calmness and intelligence of a very distinguished, qualified nominee. I hope the two senators from North Carolina will be able to recognize what a strong, thoughtful addition Judge Jackson will be to the Supreme Court and vote to confirm her. When they do, they will be participants in a very historic moment. Carol Ashley Winston-Salem Unfortunate death While some newsworthy details are difficult to read and maybe even hard to comprehend, it is for the greater good of understanding how the world around us is moving and evolving. However, some details are reported and printed for no other reason than to appease some gratuitous and gross need for unnecessary gossip. The story printed on March 23 (Autopsy offers more detail on Mount Tabor students death) rehashing the unfortunate death of the student shot at Mount Tabor High School last year was just that, gratuitous and gross. There is no person in our entire community who needed to know how a bullet specifically tears through individual organs to lead to death. Shame on you, Journal. And shame on anyone who felt anything other than disgust reading this article. And sincere apologies to the family and friends of the boy who died that way and had to read his autopsy report with their morning eggs and toast. This was not news. Kim Kenney Winston-Salem In honesty I appreciate the openness of the writer of the March 24 letter Christianity. I dont wish to belittle or argue with him; I hope my response is both respectful and enlightening. The writer suggests that people who reject God do so because of negative experiences with their fathers or churches or because they were simply raised with no religion. He also claims that the Bible is without error. He says that these will be the unvarying conclusions if studied properly. None of those were true in my case. My study of the Bible was serious, sincere and thorough. I asked God to guide me, as the writer suggests. Ultimately I had to conclude that it is irrefutably full of errors. And horrors. The Bible has doubtless been a source of good in some instances. But it has also generated a great deal of harm by people who followed its instructions accurately. My experience is not unique. There are many who, while desiring to live honestly and morally, have reached this conclusion. The letter writer has a right to his point of view and I hope that his practice of Christianity is as kind as his letter. Can he and others like him accept that there are people who study the Bible and must conclude, in all intellectual honesty, that it is not suitable as a guide to truth? Or is it necessary to portray our search as dishonest or inadequate? Perry Mitchell Winston-Salem A unique voice We should return Lida Calvert-Hayes to the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school board from District 2. Our children are still recovering from the disruptions caused by COVID-19; they need additional help catching up. Lida brings experience to that effort; she has served as a school board member already and raised a family of successful highly educated kids. Lida will push efforts to keep our kids safe, to fairly compensate our teachers and to involve more parents in all aspects of their kids learning. Her strong business background and her proven ability to work with all members of the board make her a unique voice for common sense. Lets return Lida to the school board! Randy Tompson Winston-Salem The former president of Lincoln Guard Security Co., Janis Strautkalns, has been sentenced to a 12-month split sentence for not paying more than $90,000 in payroll taxes. He will have to serve community confinement for six months, followed by six months of home detention with electronic monitoring and three years of supervised release, as part of U.S. District Judge John Gerrard's sentence. Strautkalns also will have to pay $90,586 in restitution. In an indictment, federal prosecutors alleged that Strautkalns had withheld payroll taxes from employees' paychecks but, between the third quarter of 2016 through the end of 2018, failed to submit them to the IRS. Altogether, it added up to about $90,500 in unpaid payroll taxes, according to court records. Strautkalns, of Lincoln, initially faced 14 counts, but pleaded guilty to one in a deal with prosecutors. The company is defunct, according to the Nebraska Secretary of State's Office. 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. Otokar, Turkeys global land systems manufacturer, aims to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region where its wide range of military vehicles is operating successfully for many years. The company is exhibiting its Arma 6x6 Wheeled Armoured Vehicle and Cobra II Tactical Armoured Vehicle at DSA (Defence Services Asia) 2022, from March 28 to 31, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Stating that Otokar military vehicles are actively used in five continents, General Manager Serdar Gorguc, said: As a listed NATO and UN supplier, Otokars military vehicles are actively in service in more than 35 countries and almost 55 end users in different climates and geographies around the world. Otokar also stands out with its technology transfer and local production capabilities. With this respect Asia Pacific region is particularly important for Otokar, where our wide range of vehicles operate successfully for many years. We aim to expand our activities in the region in order to meet the existing and future requirements of our clients. In this context, we focus on collaboration opportunities including local production models through transfer of technology at DSA. Expertise in design Highlighting that in the last decade Otokar has allocated approximately 8% of its revenues for R&D expenditures Gorguc continued: Otokar stands apart with its expertise in design, development and system integration of both combat proven wheeled and tracked platforms, where they are internationally known for their survivability, superior mobility and modularity in challenging terrains and extreme weather conditions. We continue to introduce innovative solutions in land systems by taking into account the current and future requirements of modern armies and security forces. We analyse the different needs and expectations of our users for land systems, simulate these requirements in house and develop solutions that meet these requirements in the fastest manner thanks to our excellence in R&D, engineering and testing. Arma 6x6 Otokars multi-wheeled modular armoured vehicle Arma 6x6 offers superior mobility, high mine and ballistic protection, as well as medium and high-caliber weapon system integration options. Offering high tactical and technical features, Arma comes with an optional amphibious variant for peacekeeping and humanitarian aid operations in the most demanding terrain and climate conditions. Arma 6x6 stands out especially with its high payload capacity and large interior volume. Arma can be equipped with different weapons and manned / unmanned turrets according to the needs. The Arma 6x6 can be used for various missions as surveillance, recovery, armoured personnel carrier, armoured combat vehicle, command control, reconnaissance, and CBRN reconnaissance vehicle while different weapon systems can be integrated into the vehicle. Cobra II Cobra II offers high level of protection, payload capacity, and large internal volume. In addition to superior mobility, Cobra II also comes with the capacity to accommodate 10 personnel including the driver and commander, offering high protection against ballistic, mine, and IED threats. Delivering high performance in the toughest terrain and climate conditions with high power to weight ratio, Cobra II is tested rigorously in different parts of the world, on toughest terrain and climate conditions, and made thousands of miles. Preferred especially for offering a wide range of weapons integration and mission equipment options, Cobra II is successfully in service of ambulance, command and control, reconnaissance, border protection, signal vehicle as well as internal security and peacekeeping missions. The modular structure of Cobra II also makes the vehicle a flexible platform for a personnel carrier, weapons platform, ground surveillance radar, and CBRN reconnaissance vehicle.-- TradeArabia News Service The first time volunteers at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial displayed photos of the U.S. service members buried there, thousands attended. They could finally start putting faces to the names on the white marble crosses that had stood there for more than 70 years. It was for us incredible to see, said Sebastiaan Vonk, who launched the effort in 2015. People would leave the walking paths at the cemetery to actually walk in between the graves to look at the photos. But there was nothing to see next to the marker at Plot M, Row 9, Grave 13. Dorral Bundy Elliott had joined the Army in Lincoln in 1942 and was killed in Germany three years later. The 29-year-old tech corporal was among 102 Nebraskans buried or memorialized at the cemetery near Margraten. And since the photo collection effort started, volunteers on both sides of the ocean had found photos of 101 of them all but Elliotts. They didnt yet know it was hidden in a briefcase in Scotts Bluff County. Nobody did, until Elliotts nephew uncovered it recently beneath dozens of other family photos. But theyd looked for it. Scott Rayl, a Virginia-based volunteer who has found hundreds of photos for Margarten and other U.S. cemeteries overseas, spent hours on the internet, trying to reconstruct Elliotts family tree but largely hitting dead ends. He learned Elliott was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and raised in northeastern Colorado. That Elliott had married Mary Courtney there in 1939 and theyd had a son in 1942 the same year he joined the Army while living in Lincoln. Rayl recently contacted the Journal Star with a list of Elliotts relatives living in the Lincoln area. The newspaper contacted one of the soldiers nieces, who alerted her cousin, the family historian. Bruce Courtney had heard of Dorral Elliott, the first of his Aunt Marys four husbands. But he didnt know much about the man, and he didnt have a photo. This is all ancient history, he said. All this happened way before I was ever born. Still, hes a persistent researcher, and hes writing a book about his family, so he started calling around, reconnecting with relatives hed lost contact with. And that led him to the Nebraska Panhandle, where Elliotts only grandchild lives. I told her there were people looking for a photograph of him. She said, well, she had a briefcase full of stuff her father had given her, but she didnt know what was in there. She doesnt see well, so Courtney made the 200-mile trip from his home in Wray, Colorado, to Mitchell last week. He opened the briefcase and started leafing through the photos. He found a photo of Elliotts father first, a framed portrait likely taken at the turn of the last century. And then, about 30 photos deep, he found a picture of a young, slender man in what appears to be a military uniform, hands on his hips, a smile forming on his face. He turned it over. Dorral B. Elliott, born Oct. 26 - 1915, killed in Germany April 11 - 1945. I almost started shaking, Courtney said. I just couldnt believe I had finally found it. He was also grateful someone had the foresight to write on the back, to identify Elliott. Because otherwise, he wouldnt have known. Courtney sent a scan of Elliotts photo to Rayl, the Virginia volunteer helping the Faces of Margraten project document the cemeterys 10,023 U.S. service members the 8,301 buried beneath the crosses, the 1,722 names inscribed on the Walls of the Missing. As of earlier this month, they were missing only about 1,540 photos. But time isnt on their side. Memories are fading. So Rayl was grateful for the help finding Elliotts photo. It is unlikely this man's legacy would have survived another generation, he wrote Courtney last week. Now, those that entered the service in Nebraska are all accounted for in the Netherlands American Cemetery. And preserving their memories is important, said Bud Pettigrew of Valentine, who was appointed to the American Battle Monument Commission last fall by President Joe Biden. The 11-member commission administers and operates the cemetery in the Netherlands, and 25 others in foreign countries. But it also relies on the efforts of others to help honor the service members buried in them. Time does not dim the glory of their deeds, he said. Anytime we can put more meat on the bones of these men and women, with a photo or biography, thats pretty awesome. Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter 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. SaRena Freet, the owner of a small downtown Lincoln bar, thought shed finally found a way to make needed improvements for a sidewalk cafe with a little-known city fund intended to help businesses and promote economic development. She learned about the so-called Fast Forward Fund as she watched a recent City Council meeting, where council members debated and ultimately awarded Duncan Aviation $3.35 million to help with a $36.6 million project to build a new hangar. Former Mayor Chris Beutler created the fund in 2009 when he set aside $6 million from a surplus in special assessments to promote economic development, but the fund has rarely been used and many of the current council members were unaware of its existence until Duncan applied for the money. Now, though, the words out. Council members said theyve received several inquiries from businesses interested in applying for money from the fund, most of them smaller businesses. Jon Carlson, the mayors aide, said most of the businesses that have inquired don't meet the requirements. That might change. Several council members have said they're interested in looking at how to broaden the criteria of the fund, and find a way to replenish it. The fund had $5.2 million in it, and will have about $1.8 million left after the money goes to Duncan. Councilwoman Jane Raybould has asked the city attorneys office to look at the resolution that created the fund to see if theres some way to carve out some money for affordable housing projects or grant funding for landlords to rehab property. Councilwoman Sandra Washington said shed be interested in seeing whether the requirements could be modified to help smaller businesses, and shes among the council members interested in seeing whether theres a way to replenish any funds awarded. The fund was originally created to make money available for economic development projects that benefited the community and that could help the business complete the project. It was later modified to prioritize infrastructure projects and required that new employees added as part of the project would meet certain wage requirements 120% of the county median wage, or about $70,000, and that the business gets at least 50% of its revenue from outside the county. It doesn't stipulate how many jobs the project should create, though that appears to be part of the goal. Duncan says its project will create 60-70 new jobs. The last time the fund was used was in 2018, when the city gave Hudl $600,000 to create a skywalk bridge for employees; and $207,297 to the Airpark Industrial Park for road construction and water and wastewater utilities. Duncan got $150,000 in 2011 to relocate a water main and in 2016, Zoetis got $60,800 to install a right turn-lane. Todd Wiltgen, public policy specialist with the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber envisioned projects such as the ones approved for Hudl and Duncan when the Fast Forward Fund was created. The wage and revenue requirements were added because of the limited dollars available, he said. "We know this fund will be needed to help grow Lincoln businesses that face public infrastructure issues," Wiltgen said. "We look forward to working with the council to develop a strategy to replenish the fund." He said the chamber also recognizes a desire to expand the fund to support more local business, and is interested in exploring how a similar resource might be created for small businesses. Freet, who owns the Hot Mess, 408 S. 11th St., doesnt need anywhere near as much as previous Fast Forward awardees $11,000 would do it. She called council members and spoke to city officials, who told her that her project didnt meet the employment thresholds required; she said she got the impression that it was created for larger projects. Thats frustrating to Freet, who was active in pushing for the ordinance change the council approved in August that allows bars as well as restaurants to have outdoor sidewalk cafes. Shes applied to have a sidewalk cafe but the sidewalk in front of her bar which slopes because it was once a driveway and is in poor condition needs to be re-poured so it meets American With Disabilities Act requirements. She said the location of the bar means shes not eligible for downtown redevelopment funds, nor can she access South of Downtown redevelopment funds. Every direction we have looked, the answer has been no, she said. Thats why being told she wasnt eligible for the Fast Forward Fund was particularly frustrating. Essentially, this money has been sitting there, and they can give $3.35 million to Duncan, she said. Theres no reason we should not be eligible to receive some of that money. It is for infrastructure. Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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 mother of a West High School junior wants her daughter, who has Down syndrome, to complete her senior year and graduate with her class, while the district is citing policy that says the soon-to-be 19-year-old is too old. Billings School District 2 policy 2050 states that schools don't have to enroll students who have reached age 19 on or before Sept. 10 of the school year in question. Montana House Bill 233 was amended last summer to offer funding allowing school districts to extend high school education for special-needs students up to age 21. But according to SD2 Superintendent Greg Upham, the new law still allows for local school districts to stick to their own policies if they choose. Jana Pennington is the mother of Emily, who has participated on West High's cheer squad and has worked at the family's boutique, The Banyan Tree. Jana Pennington has appealed the district's decision and mounted a social media campaign to persuade the school board to reconsider the ruling. By Friday evening, the campaign had generated more than 150 emails to the board supporting Emily being able to attend her senior year. Upham on Friday spoke cautiously because of confidentiality concerns. He did say the board has not reviewed the matter specifically, although board members are aware of the Pennington family's concerns. In February of this year, Pennington wrote to Upham and the board. My daughter Emily will turn 19 on July 11, 2022, approximately nine weeks before the deadline keeping her from attending her senior year and not completing the high school education she is entitled to, Pennington wrote. Pennington and Randy Russell, the district's K-12 executive director, then corresponded several times over email. Russell told Pennington in November that Superintendent Upham forwarded me an email he received regarding your daughter aging out. Following the meeting with me on or about Oct. 28, I gathered more information regarding the situation from your daughters IEPs [individualized education plan], engaged with staff on this topic, and consulted with legal counsel. Then, citing the district's policy, Russell added that the school district has been firm and consistent in its position. Pennington said Emily was heldback in kindergarten, which she does not regret, even though she knew about the law at the time. At some point in the next 12 years before she graduates, Im sure there will be legislature introduced so Emily will have a remedy to graduate, she said, recalling her thought process at the time. In her letter to the district, Pennington listed several major surgeries that delayed Emilys education, with most of them occurring during her early years of development. We are major advocates of having our daughter be mainstreamed into regular education classes, not only for educational purposes but also for social development reasons, which for Emily is especially critical, she wrote. On Jan. 21, there was another email conversation about the appeal process. Russell informed Pennington that the next step would be to submit a written request to Upham that the board could hear as an agenda item. Policy 1420 outlines the process once a superintendent receives it. Were following what we thought was the policy procedure to get onto the agenda, and we werent getting anywhere, Pennington said. The Gazette only received emails from Pennington, rather than all of the emails that were sent back and forth. (Emily) loves the students, teachers, and faculty that she gets to spend time with each day, Pennington wrote, adding that you will find her at every sporting event cheering on her fellow student body members to victory. In an online document Pennington complied, she outlines how she has researched Montana state law, spoken with program directors at the Office of Public Instruction as well as multiple state legislators, sought legal counsel, made public comments at school board meetings, and met with the principal and district administrators. During the last board meeting, she was surprised to see her concern did not appear on the agenda. She communicated with trustee Zack Terakedis and anticipated the board reviewing the policy. He addressed the matter in an email to other board members Feb. 24. As a parent, planning is a big part of successful families, Terakedis wrote. I would like to know our anticipated plan for this request and when and if we are going to see it on an agenda. Terakedis was unable to be reached as of press time, but Pennington said she didnt hear back from him after that. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 If Nebraska wants to reduce chronic prison overcrowding, well-behaved prisoners should have a chance at earlier parole as a 2011 law intended, says an expert who helped the Legislature craft policies to reduce overcrowding. This provision is beneficial if youre intending to reduce the (prison) population, said Len Engel, director of policy and campaigns for the Crime and Justice Institute. The provision in question is a piece of Nebraska good time law passed in 2011 after a year behind bars, prisoners could earn three days off their sentence for each month of good behavior. Thats in addition to the day-for-day credit prisoners already earn that effectively cuts sentences in half. The bill sponsor, then-Sen. Brenda Council, and Bob Houston, director of corrections at the time, agree that the intent of the bill was to let prisoners earn time toward their parole eligibility date. But the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services argues that state law as written doesnt allow for that. The current interpretation of the law, correct or not, quietly contributes to the states ongoing struggle with overcrowded prisons, keeping the thousands of parole-eligible prisoners sentenced since 2011 from earning up to 36 days per year toward their parole eligibility date. The result: They end up having their time before the parole board delayed by days, weeks or months, potentially keeping them in prison longer than the laws authors intended. How prison leaders calculate good time and parole eligibility is being challenged by Nebraska prisoner Robert Heist II. The case awaits a decision from the Nebraska Supreme Court. It comes as the state continues to grapple with one of the most crowded prison systems in the country, reaching 152% of the systems design capacity in December. Solving the overcrowding crisis has been a focus of the current legislative session. But state leaders are split in their approaches. Some favor sentencing reform and want to build a path that would get current prisoners out and into community supervision quicker; others want to build a new prison. Nebraskas incarceration rate increased 17% since 2011, according to the report issued by the Crime and Justice Institute and a state working group in January. Thats in marked contrast to the national incarceration rate, which has steadily decreased in the same period. The report included 21 policy options aimed at reducing crime and recidivism. Of the 21 proposals, members of the state working group agreed on 17 and disagreed on four. The current legislative bill, sponsored by Sen. Steve Lathrop, includes all 21. Gov. Pete Ricketts has said he supports pieces of Lathrops bill, largely to do with reducing recidivism. He agrees the state should establish more transitional housing options, improve access to mental health support and reduce the number of jam outs when prisoners are released with no supervision in the community. But the policy options he opposes revolve around sentencing and parole: establishing geriatric parole for elderly prisoners, changing drug possession penalties and discouraging mandatory minimums and consecutive sentences. In a news conference Monday, Ricketts called Lathrops proposed changes soft-on-crime bills that would undermine public safety. He has urged the Legislature to fund a new prison to replace the aging State Penitentiary in Lincoln in part because it would provide space for the programming needed to prepare inmates for life after time served and reduce recidivism rates, Alex Reuss, Ricketts spokesman, said in an email. Even with a new building, the prison system is projected to stay over capacity. Laura Ebke, a former state senator who chaired the Judiciary Committee, said when the state opened the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution in 2001, it was supposed to solve overcrowding for years. Instead, it filled quickly. Im not sure that Nebraskans want to just keep building prisons, said Ebke, a senior fellow at the Platte Institute, a think tank advocating for reducing taxes and government spending. (The Platte Institute is a supporter of the Flatwater Free Press open government efforts). Nebraskas prisons are at least slightly more overcrowded because of the current interpretation of the 2011 good time law, which has potentially affected thousands of prisoners who could have had at least a little time shaved off their sentences. But the most egregious cases are prisoners who end up being released before even becoming parole-eligible. When prison leaders credit three days toward a prisoners final release date but never move their parole eligibility date, those dates sometimes flip, creating a group of guaranteed jam outs. Thats insane, said Joe Nigro, the Lancaster County public defender. Parole is generally regarded as a better way to reacclimate prisoners to society. Parolees have required check-ins with their parole officer and must line up a job and a place to live. Working toward a parole-eligibility date also is an incentive for good behavior, the very thing the additional good time days were meant to encourage. Having those dates flipped is not what anybody with any common sense would support, Nigro said. Aaron Hanson, legislative liaison for the Omaha Police Officers Association, called the states current good time laws clunky at best, and arguably sloppy and haphazard. We need to focus more on achieving better long-term outcomes and less on simply finding new ways to release offenders earlier, said Hanson, who is running for Douglas County sheriff. We want the ultimate goal to be a better outcome, not simply ending supervision or a sentence as early as we can to save money. What comes next for the disputed good time days will depend on the courts opinion, several experts said. Should the court rule that the department is interpreting the law correctly, the Legislature should step in to ensure the written law reflects that laws intent, Engel said. Sentences in Nebraska are largely defined by the time served on the minimum, he said. I think thats where its got to be applied to the parole date. That makes the most sense. Lathrop agreed, but said its too late in the current legislative session to propose a new bill. Its also the senators final session. Lathrop announced in February that he wouldnt seek reelection. That would be on the list of things to do I would hand to somebody on my way out, because Im done, Lathrop said. The next-best chance to fix that language would be to drop a bill in the next session, and I wont be around for that. The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter. The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LOS ANGELES In the end, ignorance is still not a defense. And ignorance still doesnt equal innocence. Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry found that out the hard way over the past two weeks in a federal courtroom that, from its rising bank of windows, offers spectacular views of everything from Los Angeles City Hall to the San Gabriel Mountains. Fortenberry, 61, hit depths never before seen in Nebraska when he became the highest-ranking Nebraska elected official to be convicted of a felony. Three of them. On Saturday, two days after the verdict, he announced plans to resign. Ultimately, Fortenberry took far too long to do what other politicians readily did: disgorge dirty money from a campaign, a process in which a politician rids the suspect money from his war chest and donates it to charity. Fortenberry had a gut feeling that something wasnt right after the February 2016 fundraiser in suburban LA, when he saw that the vast majority of the money came from people with the same last name: Ayoub. As it turns out, Eli Ayoub, a Creighton University School of Medicine graduate and LA physician, had been funneling a Nigerian billionaires cash to the campaigns of a handful of politicians, including Fortenberry. Fortenberry asked a friend of Ayoubs if anything was wrong with the fundraiser. The friend lied and said no. But Fortenberry had other warnings his own campaign consultant had cautioned him about the risk. And Ayoub himself called Fortenberry, with the FBI recording the call, and told him three times that the $30,000 cash probably came from the Nigerian billionaire. Even after that call, Fortenberry took a year to purge the dirty money. In all, he ignored it for more than 40 months. Whether that was intentional or, as his defense said, the byproduct of his absent-mindedness, it was the worst thing he could have done. At a sentencing hearing in June, his freedom is on the line. He faces five years in prison on each of the three counts. A look ahead, and back, at the spectacle of U.S. v. Jeffrey Fortenberry: Sentencing The critical question: Will Fortenberry get prison time? For another case of deception by an elected official, look to the south and the east of the glass cube that is the U.S. District Courthouse for Californias central district. Rising on the horizon is Los Angeles City Hall, a tower that was built in the 1920s in the same decade and with a similar design as Nebraskas state Capitol. That tower produced the last corruption case handled by the lead prosecutor in Fortenberrys case: that of Los Angeles City Council member Mitchell Englander, 51. In that case, Englander accepted money from a businessman wanting to increase his prospects in LA about the same amount of money as Fortenberrys campaign received. The councilmans spoils included access to escorts, trips to Palm Springs and Las Vegas, $1,000 in casino gambling chips and at least $15,000 in cash. He then tried to cover up the grift by back-dating reimbursement checks and asking the businessman to lie. Englanders attorney noted that the councilman had resigned, reimbursed the money and pleaded guilty to the charge instead of taking it to trial. In January 2021, a federal judge, from the same courthouse that housed Fortenberrys trial, sentenced Englander to 14 months in prison, saying his conduct undermined the public trust. No two cases are the same, of course. In Fortenberrys case, the money went to his campaign, not to him personally and it didnt go for gambling or sexual favors. Then again, the council member resigned and pleaded to one charge. By contrast, Fortenberry didnt resign, took the case to trial and was convicted of three counts. Fortenberry finds out his fate June 28. Both prosecutors and his attorneys will submit memos, giving their version of where the federal sentencing guidelines fall in this case. Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. can order supervised release. The jury The voicemail on a reporters phone arrived about as soon as the verdict did. A Nebraska caller grunted something about Fortenberry getting set up and how he should have been tried in Nebraska instead of California, where the left-wing goons could convict him. The jurors included everyone from a maintenance worker to a college student to white-collar workers to an actress no one had heard of. Five of the 12 jurors were white; the rest were U.S. citizens of either Asian or Native descent. No left- or right-wing goons were detected by reporters during jury selection. In fact, Judge Blumenfeld an appointee of then-President Donald Trump predicted it: the general public doesnt view everything through the lens of politics, the way political loudmouths do. None of the people who made the jury indicated strong opinions of either party. Fortenberrys membership in the Republican Party wasnt identified at all until the defense presented its case and called a Democratic congresswoman to talk about Fortenberrys willingness to cross the aisle. One prospective juror even asked if the judge would define political terms for her because she doesnt understand them, just as she didnt understand legal jargon. Another prospective juror didnt make the jury. He indicated his bias wasnt against Democrats or Republicans. Just politicians, said the middle-aged white man, originally from Ohio. They spend their whole careers not telling the truth. He turned to Fortenberry, sitting to the right of him. No offense, he said. To testify or not Its an age-old question in court: If a defendant is innocent, why doesnt he testify? But in this case, not many observers in Courtroom 6C believed Fortenberry would take the stand. For a simple reason: He talks too much, said his attorney, John Littrell. More precisely: He already had talked too much. Fortenberry agreed to not one but two interviews with the FBI. Any defense attorney any episode of Law & Order will tell you not to talk to police unless youre a victim or unless you have an attorney present. Instead of calling a lawyer, Fortenberry called the police. Lincolns then-police chief sent two officers to Fortenberrys home to screen the men who said they were federal agents. Fortenberry insisted the officers stay for the interview. He would have been better off insisting on an attorney and sending all law enforcement home Lincoln police and the FBI. Instead, Fortenberry sat down and said he couldnt place Ayoub, the man who held the LA fundraiser for him. The jury convicted him of lying in that interview. He then agreed to a second interview this time with his attorney present. His attorney at the time, Trey Gowdy, said he offered to have Fortenberry sit down with prosecutors because he was told that Fortenberry was trending toward a witness, not a target of the investigation. During the interview, Fortenberry told prosecutors that he cut off the phone call with Ayoub when told that the $30,000 cash probably came from Chagoury. That also was a lie. Bottom line: Faced with conflicting statements in the two interviews, Fortenberry couldnt take the stand without prosecutors asking him which one of his statements was the truth and which was the lie. That doesnt present well to a jury. The defense Anyone who has watched criminal cases has no doubt heard some variation of what Littrell told jurors in closing arguments: Im not asking you to like Congressman Fortenberry, Littrell said. His flaws were brought to light in this case. He talks too much. He doesnt listen enough. Perhaps Littrell, who has declined to comment outside court, was worried that Fortenberry had come across as stiff or smug to jurors. But several longtime legal observers, including a writer covering the case for a legal trade publication, thought the approach strange. The reason: It wasnt clear that anyone disliked Fortenberry. He appeared pleasant. And, as Littrell noted, every witness vouched for his sterling integrity and character. Omitted from closing arguments: The defense didnt mention Rep. Anna Eshoos comment that she would have expected the FBI to be transparent and disclose to her that she had received an illegal donation, so that she could take proper steps to correct it. (Prosecutors countered that the FBI did put Fortenberry on notice of an illegal donation, via the phone call from Ayoub.) The dynamics of the defense team drew the attention of observers, not the least of whom was Judge Blumenfeld. Less than a month before trial, Denver defense attorney Glen Summers, known as a trial specialist, was brought into the case. He joined Littrell, a longtime Los Angeles federal public defender who had handled the case since its inception. Another three or four attorneys rounded out Fortenberrys defense team. A stickler, Blumenfeld saved his sternest admonishment for Littrell. He became incensed that Littrell had tried to suggest to jurors that Fortenberry had testified in the case, through the words on the recordings and through witnesses who had vouched for his integrity. Littrell also started to delve into what prosecutors would have done had Fortenberry taken the stand. Prosecutors objected. Blumenfeld was livid. Outside the jurys presence, he asked Littrell what he was trying to accomplish and suggested that he was undermining the judges strong instruction that the jurors were not in any way allowed to consider the fact that Fortenberry had not testified. Summers, meanwhile, suggested that Blumenfelds denial of a line of questioning amounted to reversible error. That phrase is the nuclear bomb of attorney arguments and Blumenfeld didnt take kindly to it. At another point, Blumenfeld called Summers argument whiny and disrespectful. At another point, Summers apologized for getting into a subject the judge had declared off-limits. Im sorry, Summers told the judge. I just feel so passionate about this case. The almost blunder Fortenberry and his staff made a decision that nearly haunted him at his trial. Two days before trial, they sent a note to the House of Representatives clerk, saying they would be voting by proxy because of the ongoing public health emergency, i.e. COVID-19. The note made no mention of the fact that Fortenberry was on trial in Los Angeles. The notes language is routine, and Fortenberrys staff said many Congress members use that standard language, even when there are other reasons for their absence. They also said they got permission from House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office. Her office disputed that. Prosecutors pounced on that. At one point, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamari Buxton called on the judge to allow him to introduce Fortenberrys memo as a counter to any defense testimony that Fortenberry is steadfastly honest. Blumenfeld considered it but ultimately decided it would require too much work to bring jurors up to speed. Animal kingdom Team Fortenberry pulled out all the stops to garner sympathy for the nine-term congressman. On March 17, one of Fortenberrys daughters wheeled a stroller into the courtroom. Inside: Fortenberrys first granddaughter, dressed in an adorable green-and-white clover onesie. Several observers braced themselves for Blumenfeld to kick the baby out of the courtroom. Most judges do not allow infants in court. Blumenfeld paid the baby no mind. In opening statements, Summers introduced the jury to the baby, who didnt make a peep. She also didnt make an appearance the rest of trial. Nor did Fortenberrys chickens. Thats correct: The defense had wanted to include photos of Fortenberry and his one-time backyard chickens, as well as Fortenberry and his dog. Prosecutors objected. The defense removed those photos from its opening slide show. Other animals did make appearances: Elephants. Celeste Fortenberry testified she traveled with her husband to Africa as part of the congressional conservation caucus, focused on preventing elephant poaching. Horses. Summers noted that as part of the LA fundraising weekend, the Lebanese Catholic community bestowed an honor that would allow Fortenberry to ride a horse into any Catholic church. Opossums. They killed the backyard chickens, Celeste Fortenberry testified. Raccoons. Fortenberry so loathed making fundraising calls, Celeste testified, that he went into autopilot. He would distract himself by cooking breakfast or walking the dog or doing projects. One of those projects: fixing chimney damage caused by raccoons. The appeal In a post-verdict gaggle, Fortenberry was asked what his appeal would be based on. The case, he said. He didnt get much more specific other than to say: We always thought it was going to be hard to get a fair process out here. The appeal starts immediately. In reality, any appeal would have to start after sentencing. The defense no doubt will bring up Blumenfelds refusal to let them call an expert who would have testified that Fortenberrys memory was fallible. Translated: He wasnt lying; he was simply not remembering. Another, more obscure issue to watch: Prosecutors were required to establish venue, that elements of Fortenberrys crime took place in central California. Fortenberrys defense argued that the investigative interviews, where he was accused of lying, took place in Nebraska and Washington, D.C. Los Angeles Much was made about the case being in Los Angeles, where, as one observer said, it feels like the beach, smells like the weed. The scene was surreal. And Fortenberrys defense had decried it, saying the true jury of his peers was in Nebraska. But the original crime occurred in Los Angeles, at that fundraiser. And the case wasnt tried on the streets of L.A. It was tried the way all federal cases are. Inside a courthouse with white marble walls and white tile floors, not all that different from Omahas federal courthouse. Inside a courtroom with a tough judge, dueling attorneys and a jury. All of the arguments about other factors were noise, designed to distract from the issues at hand, lead prosecutor Mack Jenkins said. The jury was clearly paying attention. You saw them taking a lot of notes. They took their opportunity to deliberate. They worked very hard and ultimately, they saw it as a simple story of a politician who lost his way. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Two women were killed in a head-on collision east of Harrison on Friday. The Nebraska State Patrol said Ruth Smathers, 67, of Lost Springs, Wyoming, and Nana Flesch, 42, of Shelby, Montana, died in a crash on Nebraska 20, east of Harrison. The crash occurred at about 7:25 p.m. Smathers was driving a westbound pickup pulling a loaded livestock trailer that collided with an eastbound vehicle driven by Flesch, who was also pulling a loaded livestock trailer. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. Fleschs three children were in the vehicle and suffered serious injuries. One child was ejected and was flown to Regional West Hospital in Scottsbluff and has since been transferred to a hospital in Denver. The other children were transported to the hospital in Chadron. One has since been transported to a hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota. Several animals were injured in the crash, which remains under investigation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 OMAHA The states Vietnam War veterans are ready to turn the first shovel of dirt on a monument to the thousands of Nebraskans who served there, and the 396 who never came back. Former Secretary of Defense and senator Chuck Hagel, who served in Vietnam, will headline a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Papillion for the new Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Gov. Pete Ricketts is also among the scheduled speakers. The event is taking place on March 29, established by Congress five years ago as National Vietnam Veterans Day. The ceremony is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the City of Papillions Facebook page. The memorial will occupy 2 acres adjacent to the SumTur Amphitheater south of Nebraska 370 on 108th Street. It will include a restored UH-1 Huey helicopter with a rescue display, 11 obelisks listing historical events from individual years of the Vietnam War, an array of flagpoles, benches and green space. A V-shaped wall of black granite will list the names of the 396 Nebraskans killed in the war. The Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation also is developing an educational program aimed at elementary, middle and high school students. It will make use of the groups website, NVVMF.org. The memorial is expected to cost $5.65 million about $2 million more than was estimated in 2019, said Lisa Jorgenson, the foundations vice president. Much of the increase is because of delays and supply chain problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. About half the money has been raised, she said. Jorgenson said the foundation hopes to complete the park in time for a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 29, 2023, the 50th anniversary of the date the last U.S. combat troops left South Vietnam. The country fell to North Vietnamese and Viet Cong insurgent armies two years later. This memorial was put together, driven and instigated by the Vietnam veterans themselves, said John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs. These soldiers that served in Southeast Asia they didnt have that welcome-home event. I hope this provides that welcome. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A major package of income tax cuts and property tax relief fell short in the Nebraska Legislature on Friday. But backers vowed to try again this session, with Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the Revenue Committee chairwoman, calling the tax measure's failure "just a hiccup." Linehan said she was shocked that the filibuster-ending cloture motion on LB825 failed. The motion got 32 votes but needed 33 to succeed. Thirteen senators abstained on the vote and four were absent. Based on legislative practice, the bill will not return this year. But Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha, who introduced LB825, said the fight for tax relief is not over. He said he expects backers will find another legislative vehicle for the package of ideas. LB825, as advanced to the second of three rounds of debate, would have phased out income taxes on Social Security benefits in four steps. A surprise amendment offered Friday morning would have incorporated other tax proposals into the bill. The amendment would have ratcheted down the state's top corporate and individual income tax rates and expanded income tax credits offered to property taxpayers. Lindstrom, a GOP candidate for governor, touted the package as the "biggest thing" in years and said Nebraska must make the proposed changes to compete with other states. But he said there will be more work on tax reform in the future. Another supporter, Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, said fears about the tax measures putting Nebraska into a financial crunch down the road were overblown. By fiscal year 2024-25, the package is projected to reduce state revenues by $565 million. "This is about 'go big or go home,'" he said. "This helps all Nebraskans." But Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha, a Democratic candidate for the 2nd Congressional District seat, questioned whether the state could afford all of the proposed tax changes. He also pointed out that a large population of Nebraskans would not see a tax cut from the proposal. Those left out from income tax cuts include single filers making less than $40,676 or married filers making less than $81,352, unless they get Social Security benefits. The property tax credits would not go to anyone who does not own property. Several opponents objected to packaging all of the tax measures together. The Social Security proposal enjoyed broad support during first-round consideration, but the income tax cuts have had a rougher road. Opponents blocked a separate income tax bill earlier this week. Linehan said she is not sure yet what avenue supporters will use to get the tax package passed. But she warned that the state budget bills could be in jeopardy if lawmakers continue to stand in the way of the tax cuts. Lawmakers are slated to vote on passing the budget bills Tuesday. "If they want a budget, we need tax cuts," she said. The amendment proposed on LB825 would decrease the top corporate and individual income tax rates to 5.84% over five years. Under current law, the top corporate rate is 7.5% this year and is slated to drop to 7% next year. The top individual rate is 6.84% now. The amendment would help out property owners by creating a new refundable income tax credit equal to a portion of what they pay in community college property taxes. The new credit program would be similar to the LB1107 program created two years ago, which offsets a portion of what property owners pay in property taxes to K-12 schools. The LB1107 program will provide up to $548 million worth of credits this year, equal to about one-quarter of school property taxes. The proposed community college credit program would start at $50 million this year and increase to $195 million by 2026. At full implementation, the program could offset about three-quarters of community college property taxes. The amendment would fix the size of the LB1107 credit program at $560.7 million for 2023. Once reaching the maximum value set by the amendment, the school and community college credit programs would be allowed to grow by the same percentage that property valuations in the state grow, up to a 5% maximum. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Nebraska State Patrol said it continues to look for evidence that former state Sen. Mike Groene's actions toward a staff member amounted to a crime, according to records filed in Lancaster County District Court last week. Groene, of North Platte, resigned Feb. 21 after reports that he took photographs of a female staff member who worked for him without her knowledge. In a search warrant, State Patrol Sgt. Stacie Lundgren said there was probable cause to believe that evidence of official misconduct and oppression under color of office would be found on Groene's two state-issued laptops, seized as part of the investigation. She asked to search the HP and MacBook computers for documents, records, emails and internet history, as well as social media, cloud storage and email accounts. The investigation began shortly after Groene's resignation. On Feb. 22, the Nebraska Attorney General's Office asked the State Patrol to investigate whether a crime had been committed. The previous Saturday, a day after news stories began circulating about a former staffer accusing Groene of taking photos of her without her knowledge, Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt sent a letter to the Nebraska Attorney General's Office asking for the investigation. In court documents, Lundgren said on Feb. 4, while working on Groene's laptop, Kristina Konecko had discovered multiple emails that contained attached pictures of her. "Konecko was most disturbed that there were so many pictures taken, that they were all taken without her knowledge or consent, that they may have been emailed to other people, and that Groene also emailed them to himself as well," the investigator said. She said Konecko became incensed when she saw the objectifying and demeaning subject lines for the emails, which included "rear tight," and "legs." Some of the photos were believed to have been taken years earlier, according to the search warrant. Konecko filed a complaint with a human resources coordinator, who contacted Janice Satra, legal counsel for the Executive Committee of the Legislature. According to the search warrant, Satra told Sen. Dan Hughes, chairman of the committee, in her opinion the photos weren't sexually gratuitous, "but there were enough of them in number that she recommended a complaint be filed concerning sexual or workplace harassment." Lundgren said on Feb. 9, Hughes told Groene on the floor of the Legislature he needed to come to his office, where Groene was told he needed to set up a time to go to the IT department so the photos could be deleted from his laptop and personal phone, as Konecko initially had asked. Lundgren said Hughes told her four more photos had been found on Groene's phone. Groene, a two-term conservative lawmaker who often drew criticism for comments other senators deemed insensitive or offensive, later resigned. Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed Sen. Mike Jacobson, also of North Platte, to finish his term. On March 14, Lundgren asked a judge for permission to search Groene's laptops, which Lancaster County Court Judge Holly Parsley granted. Asked for an update on the investigation, State Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas said: "Its still an ongoing investigation. I dont have any updates at this time." As of Monday, Groene hadn't yet been charged with a crime. He couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Also Monday, senators on the Executive Board heard a resolution from Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh calling for the creation of a Special Ethics Investigative Committee to review the Legislature's workplace harassment policies. Cavanaugh's proposal, which has eight co-signers, including Hughes, asks the Executive Board to create a committee of four men and four women. "This is something that's been discussed in previous Legislatures, and I think it bears repeating and looked at further and continuing to pick up the work others have done," Cavanaugh said after the hearing. The Executive Board did not take any action on Cavanaugh's resolution Monday. Previously, the Executive Board killed a proposal from former Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell that would have created a Legislative Ethics Board charged with investigating complaints against any senator or employee of the Legislature. Kuehn's bill (LB1099), introduced in 2018, also would have created procedures to investigate complaints, determining what constituted inappropriate conduct, and what disciplinary actions would be taken. In the wake of Groene's resignation, two other senators Sen. Julie Slama of Sterling and Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington also sponsored resolutions calling on the Executive Board to examine the Legislature's workplace harassment policies, and issue a report. With 10 days left in the 60-day legislative session, neither resolution Slama's is LR311; DeBoer's is LR305 has been scheduled to have a hearing. Cavanaugh told the Executive Board she was open to the committee adopting a measure that combined ideas and language from all three resolutions. "I really wanted to keep it open-ended, because this is a big issue and so complicated that I want the committee to be able to do the work they need to do," she said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. Chris Dunker Higher education/statehouse reporter Chris Dunker covers higher education, state government and the intersection of both. Follow Chris Dunker Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The geopolitical conflicts and energy supply crises impacting world economies have underscored the need for greater resilience in energy supply and the need for smarter carbon transition policy. This is according to Majid Jafar, the CEO of Crescent Petroleum, who was addressing industry and policy leaders gathered for the Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum in Dubai. Jafar, who leads the Middle Easts oldest private upstream oil and gas company, told an audience of senior industry leaders and policymakers that lasting progress on carbon emissions requires policies that fit the needs and dynamics of each country, particularly in the developing world where energy demand is growing rapidly and where energy security challenges are felt most acutely. Wise strategy And in this regard, the wise energy strategy for 2050 of the UAE recognises the continued importance of oil and gas, while also growing the contribution of cleaner energy sources from solar and nuclear power. Current events demonstrate that energy policies need to deliver affordable and reliable energy supplies to withstand supply shocks and other challenges. We have witnessed how lower winds in Europe impacted wind generation and how conflict created oil and gas supply and price shocks. The world must account for such challenges while delivering reductions in carbon emissions because an energy transition without energy security will not succeed, said Jafar. The UAEs visionary energy policy for 2050 highlights how this can be achieved by combining natural gas with cleaner sources such as solar power and nuclear energy, in order to maintain energy resilience while reducing carbon emissions. As the UAE prepares to host COP28 in 2023, this will only reinforce the countrys proven leadership in energy policy and international engagement, he added. Elite panel Jafar made his comments on the opening panel of the Global Energy Forum, the premier international gathering of government, industry, and thought leaders to set the energy agenda for the year, of which Crescent Petroleum has been a founding Platinum Co-Chair sponsor. The panel entitled Meeting the 2022 Challenge: Will energy security derail the energy transition?, also included Fahad Alajlan, President of King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center; Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni; and Tim Holt Member of the Executive Board of Siemens Energy AG. The Global Energy Forum, held in collaboration with the World Government Summit during the final week at Expo 2020, is focused on understanding how geopolitical risks, market dynamics, and climate crises are shaping the energy markets, and how governments and industry can resolve these energy challenges in the long term. Discussions over the two-day event are focused on the balance between delivering the carbon transition while ensuring the security of future energy supply. At the event, the Atlantic Council and Crescent Petroleum launched an in-depth report entitled Leading Oil and Gas into the Carbon Transition, which outlined the opportunities presented by the carbon transition and the critical role that oil and gas companies must play in enabling the transition itself. Crescent Petroleum became one of the first companies in the industry to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations in 2021 after completing a series of projects to reduce carbon intensity and offset remaining emissions. The milestone was the culmination of years of effort to improve total process efficiencies and become one of the least carbon-intensive companies in the energy sector.-- TradeArabia News Service BURLINGTON The public can visit all 10 Burlington Area School District buildings as part of the Open Doors, Burlington Schools event from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 2. This is an opportunity to tour Burlingtons new Karcher Middle School, 300 Wainwright Ave. The $32,700,000 school opened in fall 2021 to serve students in grades six to eight. The efficient school was designed with learning in mind. The middle school is within walking distance of the new district office, also on Wainwright Avenue. Alumni can visit former schools including Dyer Elementary School which was once the junior high school. Through the 2018 Referendum, BASD schools received needed renovations to improve safety and address facility maintenance such as replacing windows, bathrooms, ceilings and lighting. At the high school, community members can tour WBSD 89.1 FM, BHSs radio station that has been on the air for 42 years. At 10 a.m., the student leadership organization DRIVEN will hosts its annual Easter Egg Hunt for children ages 11 and younger. Alumni can see the schools Wall of Inspiration and Wall of Fame that recognize notable individuals. The Lincoln School, built in 1859, will also be open. The school has served many purposes over the years including as a high school, kindergarten and district office. It is now the location of Fox River Consortium, a partnership with Waterford Union High School. The PAC House, another partnership with the high school, is a residential home where students ages 18-21 receive education and training. Students and teachers will display work from this school year and many teachers will be available to answer questions. Some schools will have historical items available for viewing. Playgrounds will be open and families can pack a picnic lunch. People who visit multiple schools can enter a drawing for prizes. An updated schedule of events is published on the districts webpage at basd.k12.wi.us. New student enrollment To enroll in the Burlington Area School District, visit Enroll at BASD on the website or call 262-763-0210. Last fall, BASD added extended care at Dyer Elementary School to support families with young children. BASD students in 4K have access to childcare before and after their program. BASD will host a screening for new 4K students on April 18. Special Needs Resource Fair The Burlington Area School District is one of several organizations planning a Special Needs Resource Fair from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at Waterford High School, 100 Field Drive, Waterford. The fair will connect families with resources for children with special needs, older adults and people of all ages with disabilities. For more information, go to bit.ly/SpecialNeedsResourceFair. Hands-on art BASDs 6-12 Art Department recently received a $2,500 grant from Burlington Walmart to add glass fusing to the curriculum. Burlington High School has a new kiln and supplies support the stained glass, jewelry and seminar classes. Donna Fearing, co-owner of Creative Spaces Studio in Waterford, led a workshop on glass fusing. Construction students built and art students will decorate benches for an annual Burlington Chamber of Commerce auction. BASD offers creative, hands-on learning opportunities for students. Reading rocks Elementary students celebrated Read Across America Week with dress-up days, fun programming and, of course, reading. There were incentives to encourage reading outside of school. Students in grades four and five participated in a Battle of the Books, with Cooper Elementary School students placing eighth out of 183 teams on Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Associations Battle of the Books state test. National Library Week takes place April 3-9. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 RACINE The Racine County Diversity Task Force is turning a sharp focus on crime, unemployment and other barriers that are holding back black people and other minorities. And the task force is doing so without asking politicians for their opinions. At the first-ever gathering of its kind, the county group this weekend brought together front-line workers in the struggle to overcome obstacles preventing racial equity in the Racine area. About 200 people filled a Racine church Saturday to learn how educators, social workers, business owners and others perceive the status of minorities in a challenging world. Its part of an explicit focus from Racine County government to address issues faced along racial lines. Melvin Hargrove, chief diversity officer for Racine County, said he intentionally did not invite politicians to participate. Hargrove said he wanted spectators instead to hear from people who are closest to the everyday issues facing black people and other minorities. The gathering inside Greater Mt. Eagle Baptist Church in Downtown Racine was not a time for flowery speeches or slogans, Hargrove said. Were talking about issues, solutions, answers, he told the crowd. Were trying to connect our community to that which is going to help them. The event, called African American Conversations for Better Outcomes, was the first in what organizers hope will become a series of community discussions. Co-sponsors included the NAACP, African American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Racine, and ZOE Outreach Ministries. The free-wheeling exchange turned to such questions as to how to keep young minorities out of prison, improve their education, create better job opportunities and increase homeownership. JeLeslie Taylor, warden of the Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility, drew loud applause when she called for more resources for young people to help them avoid trouble. Taylor recalled growing up with a community resource center where she could take classes and find other activities that kept her safe and stimulated her learning. We dont have that anymore for our young people, she said. And then we say, Well, why do they go to prison? The two-hour discussion was divided into two segments the first focused on economics and education, and the second on housing and justice. Audience member questions were aired through moderators, so attendees sat quietly most of the time. But applause broke out frequently as participants delivered blunt answers unfiltered by politics. On the question of homeownership, Dasheika Kidd, program manager for the Racine Financial Empowerment Center, told the crowd that a recent study of 2,300 mortgages approved locally found that only 100 went to black homebuyers and another 130 to Hispanic homebuyers. Kidd said too many young people embark on adulthood without knowing how to budget their money and save for future goals. The empowerment center offers one-on-one counseling to help people understand saving for a home or for college or even for a vacation. We have been able to help more minorities put together an action plan, she said. Racine School Superintendent Dr. Eric Gallien was on hand to address several questions about education. Gallien said the public school district is working to hire more racial minority teachers, and to address the perception that minority students face harsher discipline than white students. Asked about bridging the gap in student achievement, the superintendent said the bottom line is that many children and their parents nowadays simply do not know what is necessary to do well in school. For too long, K-12 education has been a mystery for kids, he said. We want to take away the mystery. To address why more black people and other minorities are not business owners, organizers invited Jerrod Taylor, owner of TaylorMade Wealth Management in Racine. Taylor acknowledged that would-be entrepreneurs face challenges in accessing capital to finance their dreams. The best way to figure out a strategy, he said, could be finding an existing small-business owner and asking how they made it happen. We always hear, The moneys out there, he said. Well, where is the money located? Trevor Jung, the City of Racine transit manager, told the crowd that inadequate public transportation can make it difficult for minorities and others to access needed services not to mention jobs. Jung said a very unique moment has arrived in the job market, because many employers are desperate to find new workers at the same time that many people are in the job market for various reasons. Aiming to eliminate obstacles for people without cars, the city bus system is seeking out partnerships with colleges, libraries and other non-traditional partners who rely on public transit. We really need to think of partnership more broadly, he said. We cant give up because of barriers. Love 3 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. CHICAGO - Chicago residents heading out of town for spring break might be in for busy airports, as pent-up demand drives more travel. Airlines have scheduled 41% more space on flights out of Chicagos airports during March and April this year than in 2021. They are still scheduling fewer seats than before the pandemic, but are edging closer to 2019 levels, according to information from aviation data company Cirium. United Airlines said it expected the number of passengers flying to approach 2019 levels during the spring break season, with more than 18 million people expected to fly with the carrier. OHare International Airport was expected to be among the airlines busiest airports, United executives said in a statement. And nationwide, bookings for flights, tours, car rentals and hotels for warm-weather places this spring were higher than in 2019, according to AAA. People taking tropical and beach vacations this time of year isnt new, Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. Its the number of bookings were seeing, with increases in the triple digits over last year and even beating pre-pandemic volumes. The moral of the story is that people, more than ever, want to get away and enjoy a little taste of paradise. But those travelers are likely paying more. Flight data from travel search company Kayak shows fares for spring break travel from Chicago are up 36% from 2019. More fare increases might be in store, as one measure airlines could take to contend with fluctuating oil prices. At an investor conference this month, Delta Air Lines President Glen Hauenstein said the company thought Delta customers would be willing to pay to absorb the cost of fuel. I think were seeing safe, feeling safe and turning fear into confidence. Confidence in the traveling public, confidence in reopening offices, confidence in taking masks off and that is all leading to a surge in demand, he said. And that surge couldnt come at a better time with fuel prices running up. Southwest Airlines, for its part, raised fares across the system Feb. 1, Chief Financial Officer Tammy Romo said at the investor conference. The carrier has a fuel hedging program intended to provide a cushion against price spikes. For drivers in the Chicago metro area, the average price of gas on a recent weekday was was $4.61 a gallon, down from a high of $4.67 earlier this month but still more than $0.80 above the average price a month before, according to AAA. Still, AAA didnt anticipate rising fuel prices would limit spring break traveling for those flying or driving, especially after two years of limited travel. More likely for drivers would be shorter road trips and spending less on hotels, shopping or dining to account for higher gas prices, spokeswoman Molly Hart said in an email. For those flying out of OHare, construction will be another factor to contend with. As part of an ongoing revamp of the airport, an expansion is underway in Terminal 5, and roadwork could affect passengers trying to reach terminals 1, 2 and 3. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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 IThe India Pavilion has been recognised among the top three pavilions at the Expo 2020 Dubai for its exclusive design and innovation, under the Peoples Choice category by the Exhibitor Group. This is the first time in the history of the World Expo that India Pavilion has bagged such accolade. The India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai celebrates #[email protected] or 75 years of Indias independence and showcases the new and dynamic India with its never-ending opportunities. A star-studded international jury established by Exhibitors Insight Awards identified the People Choice Awards. Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Commissioner General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai said: We would like to thank the Exhibitor Group for this recognition. It is a testament to Indias magnificence which has been exhibited by the India Pavilion. With the use of architecture, the Pavilion beautifully captures Indias rich cultural heritage and its technological prowess. We are also proud to be one of the most visited pavilions at the Expo as we recently touched the 1.5 million visitor mark. It has been a successful journey over the past 6 months, and we wish to continue strengthening Indias global presence. Dikshu Kukreja, Managing Principal, CP Kukreja Architects, who designed the India Pavilion said: Every visitor takes back with them a vast array of experiences and memories, whether it is Indias culture, architectural legacy, forays into technology, or the countrys beautiful natural landscape. This uniqueness is what we wanted to showcase through our design for the India Pavilion, which transcends the boundaries of time and region and encapsulates Indias vibrant diversity. Travis Stanton, jury member of the award said: The Expo 2020 Award winners and honourable mentions represent some of the worlds best examples of how design, technology, presentation, and storytelling come together to create immersive experiences and effectively communicate compelling messages. The India Pavilion is created on the theme of Openness, Opportunity, Growth, in line with Expo 2020 Dubais theme - Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, to showcase a nation open to new learnings, new perspectives, innovations, and investment opportunities. The pavilion structure is dedicated to 11 primary themes, each having an exclusive zone, all under one gigantic roof, including Climate and Biodiversity, Space, Urban and Rural Development, Global Goals, Health and Wellness, Water, and more. The India Pavilion was also awarded as One of the most iconic Pavilions by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) at Expo 2020 in November last year. The magnificent four-storey Pavilion represents India as the fastest-growing nation in the world with the theme of India on the move. Made up of 600 individual blocks, the facade of the India Pavilion uses kinetic architecture to tell 75 stories about the history, geography, and literature of the country with an engrossing stimulus of constant change. The interiors of the pavilion employ cutting-edge technologies to craft an interactive journey through Indias landscape and interconnect the nations social, cultural, and natural wealth. TradeArabia News Service ORLEANS Orleans Fire Chief Matt Massey was in the midst of fighting a 200-acre grass fire near Stamford earlier this month when he got a call that one of the departments trucks was on fire. I was probably 500 to 600 yards away from them, and I couldnt see them because the smoke was so heavy, Massey explained. Volunteer firefighters had been stationed around a home in order to split the fire so it didnt take the structure, Massey said. When the 1976 GMC firetruck caught fire, the volunteers tried to grab as much equipment off of it as they could and sprayed it to stop the flames. Another truck assisted them with a load of water, but it couldnt quench the blaze. I told them for their safety to get out of there, and we will worry about it later, Massey said. It took about a hour for the truck to stop burning. The firefighters were able to prevent fire from spreading to any structures, but the truck was a total loss. Massey believes a fuel line may have broke in the back of the truck. When the fire was close to them, it ignited it. Any little ember can start that fuel fire, said Massey. The truck was 46 years old, but OVFD used it almost any time they were called to a fire. Massey estimated that a new rural firetruck would cost the department about $225,000 so they are looking for used vehicles that they can rebuild to fit their needs. They have contacted the Forestry Service in hopes of purchasing a used truck from that department. The truck that we want is not available at this time. What they did, they sold us a grass rig, a smaller unit, Massey said. We will build something to replace this truck that has burned. At least we have something to help us right now. The Heritage Bank in Orleans set up an account for anyone who would like to donate to the Orleans Fire Department to help them with the costs of purchasing and rebuilding a newer truck. The department already has received generous donations from community members, and Massey is hopeful they will find a replacement soon to aid them in what has been a busy year. We are back in fire season, and we are going to be running fire season until June if we dont get any moisture, Massey said. On the Frontline of Helping Jews Escape Ukraine NEWS PROVIDED BY Aliyah Return Center (ARC) March 28, 2022 GALILEE, Israel, March 28, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Cofounder and Chairman of the board of directors of the Aliyah Return Center, Chaim Malespin is on the frontline of helping Jewish immigrants escape the warzone in Ukraine. He is directly involved in providing desperately needed supplies like food, clothing and housing to the refugees arriving in Israel every day. Chaim is available for interviews and can provide insights on: How the Aliyah Return Center is helping to rescue and care for Jewish Ukrainian refugees who are running for their lives and escaping to Israel. The conditions that Ukrainian refugees are facing and great hardships they have experienced. How the current situation of Jewish immigrants fleeing from the warzone in Ukraine is fulfillment of the prophecies of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:8). The importance of believers standing together in unity right now with the people of Israel. Chaim has been interviewed by many media outlets. You can view one of the previous interviews here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY-0sSWuPg4 Aliyah Return Center (ARC) is a Bible-believing, prophecy-fulfilling, non-proselytizing ministry built on a foundation of love in uncompromising faith. You can learn more about the Aliyah Return Center by visiting their website: https://aliyahreturncenter.com Chaim Malespin press kit: www.dropbox.com/s/hz27212tqsqzlmt/ Chaim%20Malespin%20Press%20Kit.pdf?dl=0 SOURCE Aliyah Return Center (ARC) CONTACT: Kim Rugh, Infinity Concepts, 724-930-2807, kim@infinityconcepts.com The film has incited widespread calls for anti-Muslim violence. Pieter Friedrich | TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles UNITED STATES Retribution, declared Rajiv Pandit, a doctor based in Dallas, TX, in response to a call to pay back 100 fold, in their own coin, those allegedly responsible for the 1990 Kashmir Pandit Exodus portrayed in the recent film, Kashmir Files. The call was issued by an anonymous (and newly created) account with the handle Right-Wing Alpha in response to Dr Pandits original question: What was the most powerful emotion you felt immediately after watching Vivek Agnihotris The Kashmir Files? With his declaration of retribution, accompanied by a thumbs-up, Dr Pandit seemed to be endorsing Right-Wing Alphas sentiments whatever they might be wholeheartedly. To many on social media, the call appeared to be an incitement to violence. Although Kashmir Files purports to be an accurate account of the exodus of the Pandit community from Kashmir, many have rejected it as outright propaganda designed to incite Islamophobic sentiment in an India that some experts warn is on the verge of an impending Muslim genocide. While the community suffered a tragedy in the 1990s, even Pandit organizations have reported that out of a population of 140,000 perhaps 650, at the most, were killed over decades. Yet Kashmir Files writer and director Agnihotri not only claims that 4,000 were killed but repeatedly emphasizes throughout the film that it was a genocide, not an exodus. Although the atrocity occurred in the context of an armed separatist movement launched in Muslim-majority Kashmir against an Indian government whose local employees were often Pandits, Agnihotri portrays attacks on them as solely motivated by religious hatred of Hindus. Meanwhile, audiences in India are reacting to the film with unhinged emotional outbursts that, often, have devolved into outright calls for genocide of Muslims. When Muslims are slaughtered, they will cry Ram, Ram, chanted one group after viewing the film. At another show, audience members broke into calls of death to Muslims and shoot the traitors. At yet another theatre, a Hindu monk wielding a trident declared, These monsters commit such atrocities which you cant bear. Speaking about how Muslims are everywhere in India, he claimed, They are a threat not only to India but also to the entire world. The audience, he urged, should pick up weapons. Many other calls to violence as well as various poisonous rhetoric against Muslims have filled Indian theatres after showings of Kashmir Files. Similar Islamophobia is also visible in various other tweets made or shared by Right Wing Alpha. These include a cartoon of a Muslim boy stabbing a Hindu boy in the back, a cartoon of a Muslim man slitting another mans throat, and a rant claiming that Muslims dont deserve democracy and Islamic faith is intrinsically anti-democratic. Dr Pandit, after his comment was screenshotted and widely criticized, was quick to defend it. He meant, he said, retribution as it relates to criminal law, citing a definition that suggests retributive justice is premised on doctrines like an eye for an eye. He added that he has many Kashmiri Muslim friends, saying, I want those terrorists that perpetrated that violence to face consequences only them. An eye for an eye, however, seems to rather obviously not be the sentiment of Right-Wing Alphas tweet. Payback is typically defined as the act of taking revenge. Payback 100 fold, on the face of it, is not a call for an eye for an eye but rather for 100 eyes for one. Paying someone back in their own coin is defined as meting out to them the same mistreatment that they meted out to you; considering that the film portrays rape, murder of children, women being sawn in half, and the like, one can surmise what payback in their own coin means. Moreover, considering that the Kashmiri Pandit Exodus occurred over 30 years ago, one wonders which of those terrorists referenced by Dr Pandit might even still be alive today to receive the retribution he demands. Notably, Dr Pandit reportedly has a history from the 1990s of leadership in various projects of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), including American Hindus Against Defamation and Hindu Students Council. VHPA is the US wing of Indias VHP, which was founded in 1964 by then chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) paramilitary, MS Golwalkar. Golwalkar infamously described Indian Muslims (and Christians) as foreign races, as internal threats, and laying the groundwork for todays calls to shoot the traitors as traitors who had joined the camp of the enemy. He called for their elimination from the country, suggesting that the Nazi treatment of the Jews was a good model to follow. In 1947, the RSS put Golwalkars ideology into action in Jammu, the hilly region neighbouring the Kashmir Valley, by massacring anywhere from 20,000 to over 200,000 Muslims. Ever since, the RSS and VHP have perpetrated countless acts of grotesque violence against Indian minorities, especially Muslims, most notably the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom which was overseen by then Gujarat Chief Minister today, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although Modi was banned from the US for his role in the pogrom, that didnt deter VHPA activists like Dr Bharat Barai of Indiana, just like many other members of RSS affiliates in America, from tirelessly working to ensure his election in India. VHPA has its own checkered history of Islamophobia, including platforming late VHP leader Ashok Singhal (who once celebrated how the Gujarat pogrom caused entire villages to be emptied of Islam and called for its nationwide replication) and Indian politician Subramanian Swamy (who has called for destroying hundreds of Indian mosques). In April 2021, they planned to platform Swami Yati Narsinghanand (who has called for eliminating all Muslims and eradicating Islam from the Earth). Eight months later, Narsinghanand organized the now notorious Haridwar Hate Conference where speakers called for genocide of Indian Muslims and he himself pledged millions of dollars to anyone willing to become a terrorist for the cause of wiping out Muslims. Kashmir Files, reports Indian journalist Shama Raha, is an unabashed propaganda vehicle. Raha writes: The truth is that this is a film where all Muslim characters have been portrayed as evil without exception, out to kill Hindus, or, at the very least, drive them out of their homeland. Every one of them has been cast as a rabid Hindu-hater, a militant, a murderer, a rapist, a traitor, a separatist. Not one is shown to be a moderate, peace-loving, regular human being. Even Muslim women and children are not spared the women wont let Hindus collect their ration, the children shout anti-Hindu slogans and beat up Hindu kids. As she concludes: Perhaps no other film in the history of cinema barring some Nazi propaganda films in Hitlers Germany has managed to demonise an entire people and not show a single one of them with an iota of humanity or decency. As appears to be its sole intention, the most powerful emotion that the most vocal audience-goers in India felt and are expressing after viewing it is one of unadulterated hatred which holds every Muslim across the entire country collectively guilty for the tragic murder of perhaps 650 Hindus in one small region over 30 years ago. Kashmir Files is an incitement to genocide endorsed by the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the political wing of the RSS, whose goal has always been to turn India into a Hindu nation where minorities and especially Muslims are allowed no place. Thus the call for payback, 100 fold, in their own coin. Its not an original call, however, but merely mimicry by an anonymous troll of a far more powerful figure: BJPs Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Indias most populous state. If they [Muslims] kill one Hindu man, then we will kill 100 Muslim men, he once thundered. Indias 80 percent or thereabouts Hindu population faces no risk whatsoever from any community within the country, perhaps least of all the 14 percent or so of Indians who follow Islam, but Indian Muslims face an ever-escalating risk of genocide. Kashmir Files is not only pouring fuel on the Islamophobic fire that the RSS-BJP has sparked, but also seeking to salve the consciences of those who would commit anti-Muslim violence by encouraging them to adopt a sense of victimhood. If and God forbid when a Muslim genocide breaks out in India, the perpetrators will no doubt justify it as righteous vengeance. Revenge. Retribution. Pieter Friedrich is a freelance journalist specializing in the analysis of South Asian affairs. He tweets at @FriedrichPieter Westby Syttende Mai crowned Brynn Thunstedt its 2022 Princess at a coronation held in the Westby Area Performing Arts Center, Saturday afternoon. Joining Thunstedt on the court are First Attendant Marissa Klum and Second Attendant Mora Martine. Thunstedt is the daughter of Stephanie and Eric Thunstedt, Klum is the daughter of Sam and Jeff Klum, and Martine is the daughter of Kira and Derek Martine. The royalty will reign over Westbys Syttende Mai celebration May 14-15 and represent the community at events throughout the year. Prior to the three candidates answering a final question, David Kraabel, royalty co-advisor and Syttende Mai Board vice president, thanked the 2021 court Princess Genevieve Haugen, First Attendant Anna Dregne and Second Attendant Raegan Davey for representing the city and surrounding area. These three ladies were amazing; they went above and beyond, Kraabel said. They went to 36 events, including 13 parades. Kraabel said some of the best memories came from when the royalty conducted their flagging fundraisers throughout the year. We do it to help offset the costs of being on court. We put 100 Norwegian flags on a lawn at night. The homeowner gives a $20 donation to have the flags removed within three days. We flag as a family. We had a few challenges, but we did it We even placed flags during Syttende Mai. He said with the laugh the royalty even put black paint on their faces and wore camouflage clothes. We will miss these fine ladies and their families, Kraabel said. Its hard to say goodbye but we look forward to a new royalty family. Before the 2022 royalty were announced, the four candidates Thunstedt, Klum, Martine and Madilynn Sloan and the 2021 first and second attendants performed a folk dance. Haugen said the inspiration to present the dance came about after the Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancers performed in Westby Feb. 27. Friend of the Royalty Award Two Friend of the Royalty Awards were presented Saturday one to Kay and David Vosseteig and one to Orin Larson. Kraabel said the recipients helped establish the Syttende Mai celebration in 1969 and helped with the royalty program when it debuted in 1970. Kraabel said David Vosseteig was one of the first nisse to escort the royalty and Kay Vosseteig made the vest he wore. The couple also served as chaperones. Larson, Kraabel said, helped cut out wooden nisse created by his late wife Evelyn, and was a royalty chaperone along with Evelyn. Larson, who resides at Norseland Nursing Home in Westby, wasnt able to attend the coronation. The 2022 royalty will present him with the award at a later date. Parade Marshals Nisses Jay Vosseteig and Dan Iverson were announced as the parade marshals. The Big Parade returns Sunday, May 15, and will step off at 1:30 p.m. Jay Vosseteig has been a nisse for 27 years and Iverson for about 19. The nisses make appearances for Syttende Mai, including at the coronation, the kickoff breakfast and on the Syttende Mai royalty float in the Big Parade. Information about Westbys celebration of its Norwegian heritage can be found at www.westbysyttendemai.com and on the Syttende Mai Facebook page. Angela Cina can be reached at angie.cina@lee.net. 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. One of two suspects accused in the Jan. 8 gunshot death of Ernest Knox has been ordered to remain in the La Crosse County Jail on a $500,000 cash bond. La Crosse County Circuit Court Judge Ramona Gonzalez ordered the bond for Karvel Freeman, 35, Madison, during an initial appearance Monday. Freeman and Nelson D. Brown, 25, Rockford, Illinois, have been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and second-degree recklessly endangering safety. Brown also faces charges of felon in possession of a firearm and felony bail jumping. Prosecutors allege that Freeman gave a signal to Brown to shoot Knox during a party on the 700 block of Rose Street. La Crosse County assistant District Attorney Nick Passe requested the $500,000 bail. The defendant is facing life in prison and has a strong incentive to flee, Passe said. He described Freeman as a danger to the community. He said Knox was murdered over perceived disrespect about one or two small things at a birthday party. Freeman was taken into custody March 9 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His attorney, Eric Pangborn, said Freemans arrest in Tennessee wasnt a case of his client fleeing arrest. He said Freeman was a resident of Tennessee prior to moving to Madison and returned to Tennessee with his family only after receiving threats for his alleged involvement in the homicide. Pangborn said Freeman was aware from media reports that he was wanted as a suspect and contacted Pangborn March 7 to schedule a March 14 meeting. Pangborn said $5,000-10,000 is the most Freemans family can raise for his bail. Gonzalez set a preliminary hearing for April 5 and said the issue of bail could be re-argued then. Brown remains at large. He is considered armed and dangerous, and police are warning citizens not to approach or attempt to contact him. Anyone with information is asked to call the La Crosse Police Department at 608-782-7575. Tips can be anonymously provided to La Crosse Area Crime Stoppers at 608-784-TIPS (8477) or online at lacrossecrimestoppers.com. Citizens can also download the Crime Stoppers App P3 to submit a tip via cell phone. 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. All 30 seats on the La Crosse County Board are up for reelection on Tuesday, April 5. The Tribune asked candidates a series of questions about their platforms. The Q&As will be published daily in order of responses, not in numerical order of districts. Responses for candidates running for District 17 are below. Mike Giese Age: 78 Education: BS degree from St. Norbert College, MS degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, faculty member and administrative director of the Biodynamics Laboratory, world-class clinical exercise laboratory at UW-Madison Occupation: Co-owner of Onalaska Community Life newspaper (1990-2002); vice president of ThinkMed LLC, a medical decision support software company (1995-1998); directed utilization review and quality assurance at Wisconsin Physicians Service (1991-1995); directed health cost containment efforts at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Wisconsin (1987-1990); founder/director, Center for Health Promotion at Madison General Hospital (1978-1980); director of ProHealth Inc., a work-site health promotion company (1985-1987); served on the Board of Directors Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin (1979-1981); lecturer, administrative director, Biodynamics Laboratory University of Wisconsin-Madison (1972-1985) Political experience: La Crosse County Board of Supervisors; mayor of Onalaska; chairmanc La Crosse Area Planning Commission; Onalaska Common Council alderperson, District 1; Onalaska/La Crosse Joint Cooperative Commission; Mississippi Valley Conservancy; past chairperson of the Onalaska Park and Recreation Board; U.S. Army 1966-1968 Why do you want to serve on the La Crosse County Board and what is something youd want to accomplish if elected? The office of La Crosse County Board of Supervisor is where the action is. The county is vital to the growth of our regional economy and to the quality of life of all people living or working in La Crosse County. The county administers federal and state tax dollars and directly provides for most of our governmental services e.g.: Roads/transportation Law enforcement/courts Public health COVID-19, ground water, sanitation Community well-being/elderly homelessness, family & human services Economic development land use, zoning, UW extension, vital records Veterans service and much more. I wish to use my background in service at the state, county and municipal level to help bring about collaboration between the cities, villages, towns and the county to provide efficacious and cost-effective services. La Crosse County has received nearly $22 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The current board has already divided the funds into categories, but what do you think is the most important project this unprecedented funding should be spent on? La Crosse County has one-time dollars provided by the federal government to help recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents of the 17th District will benefit most if these funds are spent on improvements to public infrastructure that will reduce operational cost and thereby reduce the need to increase county tax burden in the future. What ideas do you have on improving the collaboration and regionalization between the county and municipalities? Factionalism at the state and national level has resulted in partisan extremism and dysfunctional governance. The county board is non-partisan as are all municipal offices in the county. They have, for the most part, functioned in a congeal way with dialog leading to compromise and consensus. A La Crosse County Board and municipal offices that rejects factionalism and provides for conciseness to best meet the needs of its citizens is a top issue with me. The importance of all municipalities working together is demonstrated by the work of the La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC). The LAPC is composed of representatives from municipalities in La Crosse County and La Crescent, MN. In the past the committee has focused on land use, transportation , and collaboration for the provision of government services. I will ask that the LAPC address homelessness through its powers to influence zoning and land use and the expansion of public transportation. Jack Pogreba (i) Age: 62 Education: Graduated from Independence High School, Independence, Wis. Graduated with honors from WWTC in the welding program. Occupation: Retired from Woodmans Food Market as supervisor and the equipment manager. Political experience: Served three terms as the alderperson on the City of Onalaska Council. While serving as the alderperson, I served on the Personnel and Financial Committee and Utilities Committee, and was the chair of the Library Committee, Administrative and Judiciary Committee, and Public Works Committee. I am currently serving as a County Board Supervisor in District 17 and serving on the Judicial and Law Committee and the Joint Commission on Emergency Medical Services. Why do you want to serve on the La Crosse County Board and what is something youd want to accomplish if elected? I would like to continue to serve on the La Crosse County Board to be a voice and make sure the County is transparent by informing and serving the La Crosse County residents. If I would be re-elected as the District 17 County Board Supervisor, I would like to accomplish that all our roads and bridges be in the high standards of operations and be maintained for our county citizens, without raising taxes with gimmicks such as the Wheel Tax. I will continue to support our law enforcement and keep our community safe. La Crosse County has received nearly $22 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The current board has already divided the funds into categories, but what do you think is the most important project this unprecedented funding should be spent on? I would support utilizing the maximum amount of dollars available to help our infrastructures, especially our roads and bridges, as much as possible. I believe we need to upgrade our elderly independent living and nursing home facilities and find ways on how our county buildings could be more sustainable to keep our taxes at a minimum for taxpayers. What ideas do you have on improving the collaboration and regionalization between the county and municipalities? I would set up a meeting with all leaders of the municipalities and county to decide as a group to pick a few of the most important issues needing attention, and then collaborate on who the best stakeholders are who have the expertise in finding ways to better our infrastructures within all of the municipalities and county. I would ask for all stakeholders and team to keep focused on working and building a strong team to make the goals successful for La Crosse County. 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. MILWAUKEE Autopsies were expected to be done Monday on the bodies of three men found fatally shot in a Milwaukee apartment building. Police continue to investigate and say no arrests have been made in Sundays homicides. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiners Office has identified the victims as 39-year-old Tyaries McKinney, 52-year-old Clarence Harris and 26-year-old Anthony Thompson. The medical examiners reports say Harris and Thompson lived at the apartment where the three bodies were found. Antonio Tate said the youngest victim was one of his best friends. I know his mom. I know his brothers, Tate told WITI-TV. Im hurt over this, you know? My heart crushed. Tate tried to find the words to express his shock and heartache after his friend and the two others were fatally shot. I lost a granddad to gun violence, said Tate. I lost an uncle to gun violence. I almost lost my life to gun violence, and I just lost one of my best friends to gun violence. It dont ever stop. Violence never stops in Milwaukee. Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson spoke with grieving family members at the scene Sunday and called on the community to step up and prevent another family from feeling their pain. Theyre crying. Theyre mourning, said Johnson. Theyre hurt because somebody that they cared about it is in that building behind me, and theyre dead and we shouldnt have that in this community. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A Dane County sheriffs deputy who was fired for undisclosed reasons in November a month after saying she shot at a man who stabbed her in Festge Park likely caused her own injuries with a box cutter while she was intoxicated, according to her termination letter. The Wisconsin Department of Justices Division of Criminal Investigation originally reported the deputy, Sarah Bortz-Rodriguez, said she saw a suspicious person while on routine patrol at the park in the town of Berry near Cross Plains at about 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 21. And Bortz-Rodriguez initially told authorities she approached a man who stabbed her with an edged weapon. The action caused her to fire her gun, and she was later taken to a hospital for treatment. Throughout that night and into the morning, police searched for the alleged assailant. Residents in the immediate area were on lockdown. The investigation turned up no answers, but rather factual inconsistences in Bortz-Rodriguezs initial statement about the incident, according to a nine-page letter the Wisconsin State Journal obtained from the Sheriffs Office about her firing. Bortz-Rodriguez later told authorities after they pointed out the inconsistencies that following an earlier critical incident review at the precinct she drove around to try and calm herself emotionally, according to the letter. The deputy told authorities she then returned to the precinct and traveled to an area near Rileys Tavern where she later consumed a substance that is blacked out in the letter. Bortz-Rodriguez afterward decided she was going to ride out the rest of her shift, the letter states. After not notifying a supervisor of her condition, Bortz-Rodriguez told authorities that upon arrival to Festge Park, she felt the substance she consumed take effect. You stated that you attempted to clear the park and while driving through ... believed you may have seen someone, according to the letter. You stated you believed you really did see someone there but now believe you may have hallucinated this stuff. Despite her impaired condition, Bortz-Rodriguez told authorities that she discharged her firearm once, later thinking she may have shot herself. After authorities asked if she had also caused some cuts to her arm, Bortz-Rodriguez said it was possible, the letter states. Authorities also asked her if a box cutter police found on the ground the night of the incident was likely department-issued from her squad bag and not owned by the alleged assailant. You asked if the box cutter found at the scene was the box cutter from your squad bag, according to the letter. You stated if its not in my squad bag, then its probably on the one on the ground. There was not a box cutter in your squad bag when it was examined after the incident. The letter states Bortz-Rodriguez was found to have violated several policies outlined in the Sheriffs Office Code of Conduct those surrounding truthfulness, unbecoming conduct, ethical behavior, conformance to laws, insubordination and work performance. The deputy also violated work rules surrounding the use of property, work performance and personal actions and appearance. Bortz-Rodriguez, 30, had been with the Sheriffs Office since May 2014. In a separate letter to the State Journal explaining why portions of a 100-page case report about the incident and termination letter are blacked out, the Sheriffs Office said it was not disclosing what the deputy consumed because of the sensitive nature of the investigation and the number of current employees who were interviewed. Release of these records without redactions would undermine the departments ability to manage its workforce and to conduct its business, particularly with respect to investigating future internal matters of a confidential or sensitive nature, the letter from Sheriff Kalvin Barrett and Lt. Brian Hayes states. Certain medical information provided by the deputy has also been redacted. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Re-elect Vicki Burke to County Board As a Viterbo nursing graduate and a retired nursing educator, quality healthcare has always been of interest to me. I have worked with the La Crosse County Health Department on several health issues. Vicki Burke has always been supportive to their efforts for a healthier county in the years I have known her. Recently, she has supported the countys efforts for testing, vaccinations and communication with the public during the COVID crisis. Vicki volunteered to serve on the task force for childcare. This program exists to improve access to the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding. The programs goal is to keep children safe and allow parents to return to the work force. For the senior population of La Crosse County, Vicki supported the housing units at Hillview Homes. The Community Based Residential Facility will enhance the care choice of an increasing (baby boomer) population in our area. She will support increased professional treatment funding for those with mental health concerns and programs to aid those with substance addictions. Both concerning issues continue to increase in our community. Please vote to re-elect Vicki Burke on April 5. We need to keep La Crosse County moving in a positive direction and support quality of life for its citizens. Doris Doherty Gasper Onalaska Supporting Hubert Hoffman for County Board I am voting for Hubert Hoffman for 19th District supervisor. He has willingly gone out of his way to serve his local community. He actually looks for ways to help his neighbors when whatever may come our way. When we had a bout of trees damaged this past year due to high winds, Hubert was assisting folks, clearing driveways and roads of debris. His opponent? I have no idea what he contributed to our neighborhood or anyone elses, for that matter. Our current supervisor likes the title, yet Ive never met him and I live less than a mile from him at my current address since March 1991. I get more mail from former presidents than my current supposed representative. Hoffman is a family man. Hell see you in public and he makes an honest effort to come over and acknowledge your presence as a good neighbor will do. Hes in touch with those around him. Being a county supervisor involves a bit of personal time and effort from your own person. Hubert Hoffman has done this for La Crosse County before and is willingly offering to do it again. Our county needs more on this Board like him. Lets all work to be sure we have a Do-er on the board. Vote Hubert Hoffman, hes proven that he will serve. Mark G. Burg Onalaska When did school board become a business? When did an individual running for a seat on a school board evolve into voting for a ticket of individuals? Why is it bad for a school board to present a united front at a meeting? When did a community school board financed by the publics taxes, directed by election referendums, state guidelines and consisting of members elected by the public, become a business? Voters within the Holmen School District might consider their thoughts on these questions as they go to the polls. During the recent school board forum, two candidates, Chad Updike and Josh Neumann, spoke consistently of we and us when answering questions, as if they were a ticket. Both said they were not happy with the board because it was not diverse in its responses. Diversity for these candidates sounded more like they wanted to cause division for divisions sake. As business people, Neumann reported at the forum that he and Updike were planning to form a non-profit group to help in their goal of more than fairly compensate the Holmen teachers to eventual six-figure salaries. The monies for this non-profit group, Neumann said, will come from donations of area businesses and family members. With this plan, both Neumann and Updike showed their lack of knowledge on how school boards operate. A knowledgeable candidate participating in the forum, Barbara Wuensch, a Holmen grad, put it this way: Our public school district is not a business. Think about these questions, Holmen, when you go to the polls. Kathleen Nicklaus Holmen Vote Chad Updike for Holmen board So many letters to the editor tend to ramble so hence to the point. Candidate Chad Updike for the Holmen school board has been known to me for many years. If the community of Holmen is looking for an honest, straightforward, fair minded, tell-it-like-it-is individual, Chad is their man. Kris Erlandson Westby Reasons to vote for Rieber and Wuensch in Holmen As a new resident of Holmen it became readily apparent which candidates for Holmens School Board care deeply about the community and its learners. Rebecca Rieber and Barb Wuensch are longtime district volunteers, graduates of the district, and proud parents of students who graduated from Holmens schools. Both have served their schools and community for years. It took attendance at a single school board meeting to see stark differences in the men campaigning against them. The opponents spend their time on endless anti-mask soliloquies, and claim to campaign for transparency while simultaneously deleting questions and blocking those who disagree with their views on social media. One candidate homeschools his children while purporting to know which practices the district should adopt. Their latest idea to support district staff is to have them compete against each other in a discriminatory contest controlled by the communitys wealthiest private donors. Elect leaders who believe all learners deserve a safe place to learn. Who understand how to build bridges across systems to affect change. Who believe in celebrating uniqueness while learning from the past. Leaders whove trusted the district to educate their children. Who center equity, safety and inclusion in all policies. Vote for candidates supported by the districts own staff; the Holmen Education Association has endorsed Barb and Rebeccas campaigns. All students deserve a safe place to learn where they are welcomed and celebrated for being who they are. Vote April 5 for Rebecca Rieber and Barb Wuensch. Maggie Smith Holmen Candidates who spread negativity are not the answer I have been shocked by the negative and deceptive tone from some of the County Board candidates. Several misleading and inappropriate fliers have been sent to voters in different districts. Instead of the unnecessary negativity, we need candidates who focus on how they plan to make positive contributions and create viable solutions. Candidates who spread negativity and make misleading claims are not the answer. The word civil has meanings related to government and courtesy; candidates should become familiar with both. Erin Bowditch Flottmeyer La Crosse Supporting Rieber, Wuensch in Holmen We currently serve as co-presidents for the Holmen Education Association and are proud of the work our union does to support all great teachers working tirelessly in our schools. We proudly support Barb Wuensch and Rebecca Rieber for Holmen School Board. This important decision was based on factors including participation from all candidates at school board meetings, as well as information shared through letters, social media and the March 21 forum. Our fellow members of the Holmen Education Association also overwhelmingly voted to endorse Barb and Rebecca. Hundreds of combined years of classroom teaching and educator training gives credibility to saying they are the best choice for our children. Teacher compensation is important to attracting and retaining high quality educators in our district. The forum made it clear that Rebecca and Barb have a solid understanding of how to work with district leadership on this vitally important issue. They are committed to collaborating with district leadership to develop new ideas related to compensation. This ensures Holmen keeps the amazing teachers we currently have, while attracting the very best educators to our district. Both agree that ALL students should succeed in whatever they choose to do. They support book choices in our libraries for all children, and are working with district leaders to improve our current anti-bias and anti-bullying policies. We greatly appreciate the transparency, honesty, and kindness we have seen throughout the campaign by Rebecca Rieber and Barb Wuensch. Please join us in supporting them! Lisa Risch & Tracy Dobkoski Holmen UW-L union endorses school board candidates The United Academic Professionals of UW-L (AFT Local 6502) represents the faculty and academic staff at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. In solidarity with the La Crosse Education Association (see February 20 Tribune article), we endorse Katie Berkedal, Meredith Garcia, and Juan Jimenez as candidates for the La Crosse School Board. We believe that these three candidates are each well-prepared to listen to all stakeholders and provide a positive vision for the La Crosse school district. Moreover, they are dedicated to facilitating a supportive and equitable public education for all La Crosse students. For the benefit of our community, we encourage you to vote on April 5 for Katie Berkedal, Meredith Garcia, and Juan Jimenez for the Board of Education for the School District of La Crosse. UAPUWL, AFT local 6502 Supporting Dustin Frost for County Board I am writing this letter to endorse Dustin Frost for the La Crosse County Board. I have known Dustin for 30 years, and I trust and know he will work hard for La Crosse County, as a whole, on issues regarding roads, bridges, county infrastructures, and better representation from all Districts on the Board. In addition, he will put forth special effort to protect the integrity of his District (No. 30), the town of Shelby. Issues regarding annexation of Shelby land, maintaining Shelby Fire, Police and safety responders, roads, bridges, and infrastructure are concerns he will support for Shelby. I trust and know Dustin will serve La Crosse County and his district, the town of Shelby with respect, regard, and make responsible decisions regarding all issues. Dustin is a listener and will take time to research and gather information before voting. Please exercise your privilege to vote, on Tuesday, April 5. Vote Dustin Frost for La Crosse County Board. Tammy Hayden La Crosse Hubert Hoffman has proven dedication to serve I am voting for Hubert Hoffman, 19th District supervisor. He has proven his dedication to serve. Exceeding 30 years Hubert is involved with more than a half dozen school, town, natural resource, county committees. After wind storms neighbors are greeted by Hubert Hoffman offering help clearing driveways/vehicles of downed limbs. He has provided a safe, consistent home life, improving the lives for dozens of foster children, permanently adopting five children. As county supervisor Hubert recorded near perfect attendance of four excused absences. He willingly desires to serve. His opponent likes the title of county supervisor yet seems reluctant to serve. Found in county minutes the opponent was scheduled to attend +/- 231 county meetings but recorded absences of +/- 87, yes 87. He missed 2/3 of executive committee meetings and was asked to resign. He speaks of living in La Crosse County for more than 30 years yet the only involvement listed on literature is serving on County Board. He introduced the resolution for the county to declare racism as a public health crisis, as reported by the Tribune. Is it racism? Why not instead vote for Hubert Hoffman, he will serve. Glen P Schmitz Onalaska Supporting Chris Woodard for County Board I encourage the constituents of District 9 to vote for Chris Woodard. Ive seen his commitment to serving the people of District 9 and his ability to listen. Prior to his service on City Council, he was regularly attending both neighborhood meetings to hear the concerns of people and being a steward to surrounding neighborhoods. To this day he still attends those meetings, to further his knowledge and make educated decisions. I believe Chris will also strive for collaboration between municipalities and the county at a higher level than weve seen. I commend him for his energy and drive, talking about and tackling the tough issues we face. I truly believe Chris is the best candidate running for County Board in District 9. Join me in helping to make not only our community but La Crosse County a better place for everyone. Vote Chris Woodard on April 5. James Olson La Crosse Dennis Jacobsen has passion for rural county Dennis Jacobsen stopped at our house to introduce himself and explain why he was running for the newly created La Crosse County Board District 25 seat. My husband and I were very impressed with his farm and teaching background and extensive business experience from having owned a successful business. Dennis will bring a strong voice to the board for the needs of rural La Crosse County, which have been neglected for years. He has a passion for rural La Crosse County, its residents, police, EMTs and firefighters. Election day is April 5. Please vote for Dennis Jacobsen for District 25 supervisor. Ted and Nancy Nagel Holmen Following Christian traditions In this season of Lent, Christians remember how Jesus suffered and died for our sins. We do this in a variety of ways, including raising the Cross. We in Whitehall are proud of our Cross, lit at night, high on a hill. We light a star in the same location at Christmas. Each year we read of some city where an individual takes issue with the beautiful Christian traditions, mostly out of ignorance. As Bishop Fulton Sheen, bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, said many years ago, Why are those who are notoriously undisciplined and unmoral also most contemptuous of religion and mortality? They are trying to solace their own unhappy lives by pulling the happy down to their own abysmal depths. Broadmindedness, when it means indifference to right and wrong, eventually ends in a hatred of what is right. If you do not worship God, you worship something, and nine times out of 10 it will be yourself. If youre searching for total involvement, you will never find it on this earth, or even in Heaven. Not everyone chooses to go there. Deanne Sczepanski Whitehall Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LANCASTER CITY ZONING The City of Lancaster Zoning Hearing Board will meet at 4 p.m. Monday, March 28, in the City Council Chambers, first floor, City Hall, at 120 N. Duke St. Among the agenda items: No. 22-011, Misoly Linares-Nunez, 232 N. Reservoir St., variance to reduce one required space to zero. No. 22-016, Ceilia Goldberg, 344-346 Beaver St.,variance to be deficient of 2,500-square- foot lot size by 100 square feet. No. 22-017, Wilkin Martinez-Rivera, 1317 Fremont St., variance to exceed 55% coverage by 18%. No. 22-018, Chad R. Walton, 741 Lafayette St., variance to expand a nonconforming use; variance to decrease rear-yard setback from 25 feet to 5 feet. No. 22-019, Penn Stone, John McGrann, 190 W. Ross St., variance to exceed 6-foot fence by two feet. No. 22-020, Steven Cabalar, 422 Ruby St., special permit to sub conforming uses (to eating/drinking). No. 22-021, Sheldon Weaver, 327 E. Chestnut St., variance of lot area and coverage limits; variance to reduce one required space to zero. No. 22-022, Avocat investments, LLC, 236 E. Ross St., special permit for a two-family dwelling; variance to lot area, coverage limits and rear setback; variance to reduce required parking. No. 22-023, Washington Place Equities, 250 College Ave., variance to exceed 65% total coverage by 25%; variance to allow front-yard setbacks of between 104 feet to 138 feet, 5-foot setback required. LANCASTER COUNTY PLANNING The Lancaster County Planning Commission will meet at 2:30 p.m. Monday, March 28, at 150 N. Queen St., rooms 102/104. Remote meeting info: https://call.lifesizecloud.com/1696302; or call (312) 584-2401, code 1696302#. Among the agenda items: New planning matters: (a) summary; (b) community planning reviews (1) No. 27-123, Ephrata Township proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance to increase the maximum permitted luminance of electronic variable messaging signs (EVMS) from 3,500 nits to 5,000 nits during daylight hours; to reduce the minimum required message display interval rate of electronic variable messaging signs from 15 minutes to 1 minute; to authorize a maximum of two electronic variable messaging signs on certain qualifying properties subject to criteria; to add a requirement that the displays of electronic variable messaging signs be perpendicular to the street from which they are intended to be visible; and to add a requirement regulating emergency and township messaging on electronic variable messaging signs; (2) No. 29-257, East Hempfield Township proposed amendment to Article 7 (sign regulations) and definitions that relate to signs; (3) No. 31-180, East Lampeter Township proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance by amending Article 2, Section 2020, definitions of specific terms, Article 21, Section 21050, Historic Resources Overlay District, Article 22, Section 22160, off-street parking and Article 23, supplemental regulations; (4) No. 32-180, West Lampeter Township proposed revisions to the comprehensive plan. Subdivision and land development items: (a) No. 78-312-2, Cocalico Creek Home, LLC, East Lampeter Township; (b) No. 79-312-7A, Bellaride at Crossgates (Phase II), Millersville Borough; (c) No. 86-250-5, Jacob M. Riehl, Jr., Leacock and Salisbury townships; (d) No. 88-229-5, Ernst R. Frey, II, Little Britain, East Drumore and Colerain township; (e) No. 89-83-1, William C. Schwartz, Jr., Manheim Township; (f) No. 95-175-10, Lancaster Bible College Welcome Center, Manheim Township; (g) No. 02-162A, John S. Stoltzfoos, Little Britain Township; (h) No. 04-98-2, Gregory A. and Jessica W. Tocks, Manheim Township; (i) No. 22-12, Phil Good Poultry Operation, Strasburg Township; (j No. 22-13, Gonder House Property, Strasburg Borough; (k) No. 22-14, 324 & 334 Peach Bottom Road, Fulton Township; (l) No. 22-15, Nirmal Singh Gill, Lancaster City. Old business/ new business: (a) delegation of authority of plats for recording. Next meeting: Monday, April 11, 2022 at 2:30 p.m.. MANHEIM TWP. COMMISSIONERS Manheim Township commissioners will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, March 28, at the Manheim Township Public Library, 595 Granite Run Dr. For remote access, visit manheimtownship.org. Among the agenda items: Public hearings/presentations/appointments: (a) presentation of certificate of commendation awarded to Robert Cummings; (b) presentation of the Lancaster County comprehensive plan; (c) proclamation National Library Week 2022; (d) Resolution 2022-52 appointing Jane I. Druce, John B. Brakeall and Jeremy A. Zimmerman to the sustainability advisory committee. New business: (a) consent agenda (1) 1450 Manheim Pike, 7 Eleven preliminary/final land development plan, 1450 Manheim Pike, zoned B-4 & D-R overlay, extension of time request; (2) Environmental Recovery Corporation, preliminary/final land development and lot add-on plan, 1076 Manheim Pike, zoned I-2, financial security release; (b) resolutions (1) Resolution 2022-44, planning module for Grandivew Lane Properties; (2) Resolution 2022-51, disposition of records; (c) ordinances; (d) motions/decisions (1) motion, 1036 Manheim Pike, preliminary/final land development plan, 1036 Manheim Pike, zoned I-1 & T-6 overlay; (2) motion, 170 Delp Road, preliminary/final subdivision plan, 170 Delp Road, zoned R-2; (3) motion, 720 & 724 Honey Farm Road, preliminary/final lot add-on plan, zoned R-1; (4) motion, bid award for broom sweeper rental; (5) motion, bid award for LED traffic signal module replacements for 2022; (6) motion, reject bids received and request approval to re-bid for 2021 bridge maintenance program; (e) acknowledgments (1) Ordinance 2022-06, authorizing and directing the filling of a declaration of taking of a certain temporary construction and maintenance easement for a stream restoration project. MOUNT JOY TWP. SUPERVISORS Mount Joy Township Board of Supervisors will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 28, at the municipal building, 8853 Elizabethtown Road, Elizabethtown. Among the agenda items: Consent calendar: (a) approve and ratify the minutes of the Feb. 28 meeting; (b) sign the final subdivision and land development plan for 2125 Harrisburg Ave. (No. 21-13-FSDP). Old Business: (a) preliminary/final subdivision Plan for Ira M. & Linda M. Heistand (No. 21-10-FSDP) request to reduce the number of property boundary markers required to be set for the proposed subdivision located at 335 Trail Road South, plan was conditionally approved at the Dec. 27 meeting consideration of waiver; (b) sketch plan for the Westmount Development (No. 22-02-SLDP) proposal to develop a 20-acre property located on Harrisburg Avenue (tax parcel 461-95688-00000) into 78 townhomes and 72 multi-family units the site is zoned R-2 medium density residential and will be served by public water and sewer and the applicant is providing the planning commission with an updated sketch plan; no action required; (c) Waste Management Landfill soil borrow proposal presentation of soil investigation report and discussion on proposed zoning text amendment to permit subsoil excavation as a use in the agricultural district. New business: (a) deferral of subdivision and land development approval for Pierson Rheems LLC proposal to subdivide and add approximately 30 acres to the Pierson Rheems quarry facility, which spans both Mount Joy and West Donegal townships with the add-on area wholly located within West Donegal Township consideration of subdivision and land development deferral to West Donegal Township; (b) land development waiver for Travis Elhajj, 1545 W. Main St., (No. 22-03-WAIV) proposal to replace existing self-storage units with new structures with the updated facility not to exceed the existing 22,084-square-foot footprint and 9,013-square-foot of building area consideration of land development waiver. n The next regular meeting of the Mount Joy Township Planning Commission is scheduled to be held on Monday, April 25, beginning at 7:00 p.m. A federal appeals court denied the latest attempt by a former Lancaster County man to challenge his murder convictions for killing his pregnant girlfriend in 2011. Matthew S. Becker, 32, is serving a life sentence, plus 20-40 years, for the Aug. 12, 2011, killings of Allison Walsh, 21, and her unborn child at their Rapho Township home. Walsh was seven months pregnant. Becker claimed he accidentally shot Walsh in the head with a handgun he bought the day of killing. A jury deadlocked on whether he should have gotten the death penalty, which had the result of putting him behind bars for life. In his latest challenge, Becker wanted the Third Circuit Court of Appeals to allow him to appeal an August 2020 U.S. District Court ruling denying him an appeal. Becker argued the same issues to the Third Circuit that he had in previous challenges: that his Fifth Amendment right to due process was violated and therefore, his statement to police about the shooting should not have been into evidence at trial. Becker was interviewed immediately after the shooting and then six days later. Both times, he was advised of his right to remain silent and to have an attorney present commonly known as Miranda rights. His attorneys argued Becker invoked his right to remain silent on two occasions in the five-hour second interview. And they argued the length of the interview amounted to being in custody. The first time Beckers attorneys said he invoked his right to remain silent was when he told investigators who were questioning him about his handling of the gun and its safety features, I dont know. I have nothing more to say ... The second was when Becker said, OK. Im done now in response to questions about his history of abuse toward women. The District Court had deferred to the trial judges findings that Becker didnt unambiguously invoke his right to remain silent and that he was not in custody during the interview because he was in an unlocked room and free to leave. In its March 21 opinion dismissing Beckers appeal, the Third Circuit said federal courts are required to defer to a trial judges findings unless the findings are objectively unreasonable. Lancaster County will see an uneven week of weather, starting off abnormally chilly, then warming up above typical springtime temperatures midweek only to return to normal seasonal conditions by Friday, according to a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College. Today could feel more like early spring or even late winter, with high temperatures only reaching around 35 degrees, about 15 degrees colder than normal, said meteorologist Aaron Tyburski. Those temperatures will feel even colder due to wind chill, with gusts of up to 30 mph possible throughout the day. Tonight will see temperatures dip to about 20 degrees, which could approach record lows, Tyburski said. Typical seasonal low temperatures are in the mid-30s. Temperatures should be similar tomorrow, with the weather not starting to warm up until Wednesday, which will see a high near 45 degrees. Thursday will then see a jump to around 70 degrees, above seasonal averages. The rapid drop and rise in temperatures is not really a roller coaster kind of week, Tyburski said, but at least up and down throughout the next five to seven days. Friday will be slightly cooler, with high temperatures near 60 degrees. The weekend should see temperatures in the mid-50s, near normal seasonal levels. Some parts of western Pennsylvania could see snow or sleet Wednesday, though Lancaster County will likely only see rain at most due to temperatures being too warm. Thursday could also see a rain shower in the mid-afternoon that will likely last into mid- to late-Friday morning. When: Lampeter-Strasburg school board meeting, March 21, in person and audio streamed on YouTube. What happened: The board approved setting salary increases for the 2022-23 school year for administration and support staff at 3% or at 3.5% for those receiving a distinguished evaluation. Why its important: New minimum hourly rates for any support staff position starts at $15. Support staff may receive increases up to 5% depending on where they fall within the ranges for their employee categories. Superintendent Kevin Peart commented that 3% is the average increase for teachers for next year according to their collective bargaining agreement. Quotable: No position is more important than any other positions and (were) trying to be equitable from that standpoint, and weve done that for the last 11 years, Peart said. Lampeter Elementary School: Principal Michele Westphal told the board about the learning environment for students in kindergarten through second grade at Lampeter Elementary. The school also houses a pre-K Counts program for 13 children who are ages three and four. In partnership with Owl Hill Learning Center, Lampeter Elementary is accepting registrations for next years program which Westphal hopes will have 20 students in a full-day program. (Full day for that age is five hours). Next year, the district plans to send home iPads to meet learning goals and to teach students how to best use devices. She noted teachers are beginning to see the K-2 students carrying other devices like cell phones. Happily, Westphal said, children this age embrace school. Quotable: It doesnt matter what we do or what is going on, they love coming to school every single day. Also: The board approved its portion of the 2022-23 Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 budget. The boards of the 22 school districts served by IU13 must approve two parts of its general operating budget: core program of services and instructional media services, which together comprise about $2 million of the overall $200 million budget. THE ISSUE Its Monday, the day we take a few moments to highlight the good news in Lancaster County and the surrounding region. Some of these items are welcome developments on the economic front or for area neighborhoods. Others are local stories of achievement, perseverance, compassion and creativity that represent welcome points of light during the third spring of the COVID-19 pandemic and with other grim news enveloping our world. All of this uplifting news deserves a brighter spotlight. When we think of the bridges that make up our crucial local infrastructure, we typically and understandably focus on those that vehicles can drive across. But the bridges for those traveling on foot within our recreation areas are also important, and LNP | LancasterOnlines Sean Sauro reported last week on one thats been thankfully restored. Years after floodwaters destroyed a bridge over Climbers Run, a newly installed span has reestablished a safe, stable crossing for pedestrians visiting one of the countys most popular nature preserves, Sauro wrote. The new bridge called the Mueller Bridge is now complete, spanning the stream to link two sides of the hilly Climbers Run Nature Center, a 113-acre nature preserve off of Frogtown Road in Martic Township. It will be a great boon for hikers who want to enjoy the beauty of that area. The nonprofit Lancaster Conservancy touted that the new bridge was constructed in a way, with steel and concrete among the materials, that should make it flood-proof and able to stand the test of time. Thats important, because the Climbers Run area is the most popular site managed by the conservancy, which oversees more than 8,000 acres of wild, natural land across about 50 preserves in Lancaster and York counties, Sauro reported. The bridge is named after Paul Mueller Jr., a longtime supporter of the conservancy. I love the outdoors. I like to go outside and see green grass, said Mueller, a retired Lancaster County judge. I feel its one of the things that God gives us, the land. I think the more we can preserve for future generations, the better. We agree with Mueller wholeheartedly on that point. Meanwhile, the conservancy also continues to do important work elsewhere. Nearly 1,100 acres of mostly natural woodland and freshwater resources is on track to be preserved against future development in York County, where (the conservancy is) working toward the largest land acquisition in the organizations half-century existence, Sauro reported last week. The pending $12 million project aims to roughly double the size of the the Hellam Hills Conservation Area to more than 2,100 acres. Situated across the river from Riverfront Park in East Donegal Township, the York County site is a critical water and forest resource ... near the site where the Codorus Creek flows into the Susquehanna River, Sauro explained. The land targeted for acquisition includes a watershed surrounding Wildcat Falls, as well as nearly a mile of Susquehanna riverfront, officials said. Thats in addition to a mile and a half along the Codorus Creek and a popular outcropping called Schrolls Rock, which officials described as a scenic overlook. The conservancys effort should allow for recreational activities and hiking trails there after the deal is finalized in late 2023. Other good things Cheers to Lampeter-Strasburg School District agriculture teacher Kathryn Janae McMichael, who was chosen as Pennsylvanias Eastern Region finalist for the 2021-2022 Golden Owl Award. The winner will be announced in June. Presented by Nationwide, the Pennsylvania FFA, and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, this annual award recognizes Pennsylvanias ag educators for their tremendous contributions in preparing the next generation for successful careers in the field, the district stated in a news release. McMichael has helped to bring in multiple honors for the Lampeter-Strasburg agriculture program during her six years there. That includes it being named the Outstanding Middle/High School Agricultural Education Program by the National Association of Agricultural Educators. The Lampeter-Strasburg news release included these rave reviews for McMichaels efforts: (Her) background growing up on a farm has been a major contributing factor to her background knowledge, hands-on experience, and connections for networking purposes in the field, which have all been positive benefits for her students, too. (She) is the best agriculture teacher in the state. She is always willing to give up her time to help her students with anything. ... She is always willing to answer the hard questions I ask and she is always making sure that I am doing okay. If I am struggling or just have a bad day she will sit down with me to talk it out. Its always wonderful to see praise for the great teachers across Lancaster County, and to see them recognized for their efforts. Finally, lets applaud some outstanding students, too. Warwick Middle School was recently awarded first place in the national Future City Competition, LNP | LancasterOnline reported. The school won $7,500 for its STEM program and a trip to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, after imagining a futuristic version of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Warwick Middle School students are building a fine legacy of excellence in this competition. They won second place nationally last year after creating a futuristic moon city, and first place internationally in 2019 after engineering a high-tech vision of Toyama, Japan. It seems that even the sky is not the limit for these bright students. Three heads of state playing big parts in the Ukraine crisis show three very different leadership styles, experts told VOA. Samuel Hunter is a professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He said, It doesn't always happen that you have one of each. For Hunter, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joe Biden represent the three styles. These three styles are: the ideologue, the charismatic leader and the pragmatist. Each term requires some explanation. The ideologue Putin is what some experts would call an ideological leader. Dr. Kenneth Dekleva is a psychiatrist and a scholar at the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations. He has studied Vladimir Putin for 20 years. Before becoming Russias president, Putin was a member of the KGB, the foreign intelligence and domestic security agency for the former Soviet Union. He's a ruthless, authoritarian leader who has carried out ruthless acts over the past two decades, Dekleva said. Putin has developed the image of a physically fit man-of-action. He has released pictures of himself riding a horse, fishing, carrying a rifle and demonstrating martial arts. Putin represents a much more familiar and old-fashioned style of leadership in that he presents himself as uniquely strong and uniquely touched by destiny, says Michael Blake. He is a professor at the University of Washington. Blake said the Putin image is of a man who can defeat others, using cruelty, if necessary. The experts said that one of Putins goals is to return Russia to the powerful position it enjoyed as the Soviet Union, which collapsed in 1991. So, there's a bygone era that they either wish existed or hope to return to, Hunter said. The charismatic leader Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has presented himself as a charismatic leader. He is a former actor and comedian. He surprised many with his actions after Russia invaded his country on February 24. Hunter said charismatic leaders seek to support this sentiment of hope, that sentiment of change He is appealing to the masses and a broad message, he said. While Putin seems to be following an old-style plan, Zelenskyy is demonstrating a new one, Blake added. Because of Zelenskyys background, many underestimated him politically. He has urged his people to rise up against the Russian attack. When the United States offered to rescue the Ukrainian leader and his family, Zelenskyy refused, reportedly saying: The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride. I think we assumed that Zelenskyy was a lightweightthat he would flee. But Dekleva added, he made a decision that resonates with the world. The pragmatist U.S. President Joe Biden has led the Wests answer to the Russian attack on Ukraine. Hunter considers him an example of a pragmatic leader. Pragmatic leaders are all about problem-solving. They're often very rational, data driven, by the numbers. And in many ways, pragmatic leaders are boring, said the professor. Blake added that Biden is less concerned with showing himself to be carrying out some destiny. Much of Bidens attention has been on taking careful measures to protect U.S. interests while staying away from the conflict itself. The outcome A major crisis can show or define a politicians leadership style. During a crisis you're under time pressure and stress, Hunter said. All these things combined to make it much more difficult to self-regulate, and who you really are will emerge. Were in a very, very delicate, dangerous situation now where Putin is corneredhes boxed in a corner. That's a dangerous Putin, Dekleva said. I think we have to be very careful and provide, diplomatically, what's called an off-ramp An off-ramp is a term used to describe a reduction in tension and anger. The idea, Dekleva said, is to present ways to save face and back off from this war. Im Mario Ritter, Jr. Dora Mekouar reported this story for VOA. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story style n. a way of behaving or of doing things ruthless adj. having no pity, cruel or without mercy authoritarian adj. expecting or requiring people to obey rules or laws : not allowing personal freedom unique adj. used to say that something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else destiny n. a power that is believed to control what happens in the future comedian n. a person who performs in front of a people and makes them laugh by telling jokes or funny stories or by acting in a way that is funny; an actor who plays parts that make people laugh sentiment n. feeling; ways of thinking or opinions about things resonate v. to have meaning or importance for someone rational adj. based on facts or reason and not on emotions or feelings delicate adj. easily broken or damaged We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Scientists are investigating a possible increase in diabetes cases since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot control sugars in the blood. The scientists want to find out if COVID-19 has a connection with the increase or if it is a coincidence. Increase in diabetes A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently examined two large U.S. insurance databases. The databases included information about new diabetes cases from March 2020 through June 2021. The study found that diabetes was more common in children who had had COVID-19. The report did not look at the difference between Type 1 diabetes, which usually starts in childhood, and Type 2, the kind tied to being overweight. Rates of both kinds of diabetes have risen in U.S. children in recent years. But reports from Europe and some U.S. hospitals suggest the rates may have increased more during the pandemic. Dr. Inas Thomas of the University of Michigans C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital said, I think were all a little worried. Her hospital has seen a 30 percent increase in Type 1 diabetes, compared with the years before the pandemic, Thomas said. It is not known how many of the cases had COVID-19 at some point, but the timing raises concerns that there could be a connection, she said. What causes diabetes? Type 1 diabetes develops when the pancreas, an organ near the kidneys, produces little or no insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar. It is thought to involve an autoimmune reaction. That means the bodys defense system attacks insulin-making cells in the pancreas. Patients must use manufactured insulin to deal with the condition. Experts have believed for a long time that some earlier infection may set off that autoimmune reaction. With COVID-19, We dont know if its a direct effect or some other factor thats not fully understood yet, but we are hoping that this trend may help us figure out the trigger for what causes Type 1 diabetes, Thomas said. At Rady Childrens Hospital in San Diego, Type 1 diabetes cases jumped almost 60 percent during the first year of the pandemic, compared with the previous 12 months. Researchers recently reported the finding in the medical publication JAMA Pediatrics. Just two percent of those children had had active COVID-19. The report did not have information on any previous infections. But the sharp increase was striking and clearly theres a lot more work to be done to try to answer why is this happening, said Dr. Jane Kim. She co-wrote the report. Type 2 diabetes mostly affects adults. It changes how the body uses insulin, leading to poorly controlled blood sugar. Causes are uncertain but genetics, too much weight, inactivity and unhealthy eating habits play a part. It can sometimes be treated or cured with lifestyle changes. Around the world, more than 540 million people have diabetes, including about 37 million in the United States. Most have Type 2 diabetes. Many more have higher than normal blood sugar levels, or prediabetes. Rising diabetes cases might reflect conditions involving pandemic restrictions. These could include delayed medical care for early signs of diabetes or unhealthy eating habits and inactivity in people already at risk for Type 2 diabetes. A diabetes center at Chicagos La Rabida Childrens Hospital has seen an increase in prediabetes during the pandemic. Center co-director Rosemary Briars suspects long hours of online learning without physical activity played a part. Dr. Rasa Kazlauskaite is a diabetes specialist at Chicagos Rush University Medical Center. She said steroid drugs that are sometimes used to reduce inflammation in hospitalized patients with infections including COVID-19 can cause blood sugar increases leading to diabetes. Sometimes the condition goes away after steroids are stopped, but not always, she said. The physical stress of severe COVID-19 and other illnesses can also cause high blood sugar and temporary diabetes, she added. Does the virus have an effect on insulin production? Developing evidence suggests that the coronavirus like some other viruses can attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. That process might cause at least temporary diabetes in some people. To learn more, scientists in Denmark are getting adults recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes to take part in a study. The study group includes some people who had COVID-19. Over time, the researchers try to find out whether the condition progresses faster in those who had COVID-19. Such a study could help show how or if the infection might affect the development of diabetes, said researcher Dr. Morten Bjerregaard-Andersen. He is a diabetes specialist at the Hospital of South West Jutland. The theory is if you had COVID-19, then your own insulin production will be more compromised than if you werent infected, Bjerregaard-Andersen said. I'm John Russell. Lindsey Tanner reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. Quiz - Is COVID-19 Behind an Increase in Diabetes Cases? Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story coincidence n. the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection autoimmune adj. of or related to the system that protects the body against infection and disease factor n. something that helps produce or influence a result; one of the things that cause something to happen trend n. a general direction of change reflect v. to show (something) : to make (something) known theory n. an idea that is suggested or presented as possibly true but that is not known or proven to be true President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine could declare neutrality and consider talks on the disputed eastern area of the country. While he suggested Ukraine could compromise, Zelenskyy said that Ukraines goal is securing its independence and its territorial integrity. In an overnight speech to his nation, Zelenskyy said Ukraine sought peace without delay in talks set to start in Istanbul. Zelenskyy also suggested a deal might be possible over the complex question of Donbas. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not try to take back the entire Donbas, which has been an area of fighting between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces since 2014. He said that would lead to World War III. It was not clear how a compromise would also keep Ukraine's territorial integrity. The Ukrainian leader has said similar things before, but rarely so forcefully. His latest comments could help peace talks with Russia move forward when they are to restart on Tuesday. Zelenskyy also said Ukraine needs security guarantees as part of any deal and only a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could end the war. Security guarantees and neutrality, non-nuclear status of our state we are ready to go for it, Zelenskyy told independent Russian reporters on Sunday. Zelenskyy added that a peace agreement would have to be put to a vote of Ukrainian voters. But Russian troops would have to withdraw from the country first. A referendum is impossible in the presence of troops. No one will consider the referendum results legitimate if there are foreign troops on the countrys territory, he said. Zelenskyy said that a possible compromise could see Russia pull back its troops to areas where they had been before the invasion started on Feb. 24. Russian response After over a month of fighting, Ukraine and Western nations say Russias goal could now be to take over and divide parts of the country. Last week, Russia's military movement suggested it would concentrate on expanding territory held by separatists in eastern Ukraine. The month-old war has killed thousands and driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes including almost 4 million from their country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that the two presidents could meet. But only after the important parts of a possible deal are negotiated, he said. Lavrov also accused Ukraine of not being truthful with the offer of peace talks. He added Russia needs results. Russia has long demanded that Ukraine promise not to join the western NATO alliance. If Ukraine accepts a deal to stay neutral, it will not join NATO. Russia's territorial demands include Crimea and all of Donbas. A senior U.S. State Department official who is unnamed, however, told Reuters that Putin is not willing to compromise at this point." Bidens comment Russian officials also called a comment from U.S. President Joe Biden about Putin alarming. On Saturday, Biden delivered a speech in Warsaw, Poland, at the end of his four-day European trip. He delivered a forceful denunciation of Putin and called on Western democracies to remain united against a dictator. At the end of his speech, Biden said of the Russian president: For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power. U.S. officials quickly added that Biden was not calling for an immediate change in Russias government. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Putin, quickly denounced Bidens comment. He said, its not up to the president of the U.S. and not up to the Americans to decide who will remain in power in Russia. Biden told reporters Monday his comment was only his personal feeling. He said he was just expressing moral outrage. He added, I wasnt then, nor am I, now articulating a policy change. Im Dan Novak. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting from The Associated Press and Reuters. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story integrity n. the quality of being honest and fair status n. the position or rank of someone or something when compared to others in a society, organization, group, etc. referendum n. an event in which the people of a county, state, etc., vote for or against a law that deals with a specific issue : a public vote on a particular issue legitimate adj. fair or reasonable concentrate v. to give your attention to the thing you are doing, reading, etc. Maryland transportation officials have declined a quixotic plan proposed by a startup rail company to dig a tunnel through downtown Baltimore and reroute Amtrak trains through a downtown hub that would replace the citys Penn Station. The plan hinged on support from the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transit Administration to halt impending construction to replace a portion of Amtraks aging Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel. Instead, Scott Spencer and AmeriStarRail LLC, his four-person startup company, urged the state agency to use an influx of federal infrastructure money to dig a four-track, 10-mile tunnel through Baltimore that links the Northeast Corridor to a new station downtown. Advertisement The Northeast Corridor is Amtraks busiest stretch of railroad, which spans 457 miles and transports 2,100 passenger trains daily through eight states. Passenger and freight trains have to slow to a crawl through the B&P Tunnel at 30 mph. The tunnels design also constricts from four tracks to two, giving Baltimore a reputation as the corridors worst bottleneck. AmeriStarRail attracted the railroad industrys attention in 2021 for its ambitious proposal to privatize the Northeast Corridor by leasing a portion of the railroad to run 160 mph trains and add 30 stations to the route. Amtrak, which published a white paper in 2019 in response to proposals it occasionally receives from small private rail operators, rejected AmeriStarRails bid. Advertisement Then, the Delaware-based startup in February publicly touted a Baltimore-specific infrastructure plan called the Baltimore Grand Slam. The megaproject would involve digging a four-track tunnel for 10 miles through downtown Baltimore, skirting the B&P Tunnel and abandoning Amtraks Pennsylvania Station to establish a new station on the lucrative Northeast Corridor downtown. Under the proposal, two of the underground tracks would service Amtrak trains, a third would service MDOTs MARC trains and a fourth track would run a newly created metro. Holly Arnold, the administrator of MDOT, wrote in a two-page letter in March that the agency is not going to stop Amtraks tunnel replacement, which is already funded and took years to plan. Penn Station is also in the midst of a multimillion-dollar renovation. An Amtrak Acela rounds a bend in East Baltimore as it approaches Penn Station. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun) Amtrak is replacing a 4-mile section of the Northeast Corridor, including the nearly 150-year-old, mile-long B&P Tunnel, with two tubes that will allow trains to travel at 100 mph, rather than 30 mph. The $4 billion project will begin construction next year and take a decade to complete. The B&P Tunnel will be renamed for Frederick Douglass, who escaped from slavery on Marylands Eastern Shore in 1838 by crossing the Chesapeake Bay by boat and boarding a train in Baltimore that traveled to New York. Improvements to the Frederick Douglass Tunnel will result in improved and more reliable rail service, address a long-standing bottleneck along the MARC Penn Line and Amtrak Northeast Corridor, and allow for more and faster trains between Maryland and major cities such as Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City, Arnold wrote. But logistical barriers havent stopped Spencer from his belief that AmeriStarRails plan can revitalize downtown Baltimore and transform the way people travel through the city. When its built people will talk about, Can you believe it? They almost built a replacement that would bypass Baltimores future. And people will be relieved, like, This is tremendous, Spencer said after receiving Arnolds rejection letter. The company has also proposed a major project to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for an alternative rail route to LaGuardia Airport. Spencer, who worked on the SEPTA Regional Rail, which runs through downtown Philadelphia, started his company in 2017 with Neil Glassman, a Wilmington-based bankruptcy attorney. The four-person company includes Paul Reistrup, a former Amtrak president, and J. William Vigrass, a former assistant general manager at Port Authority Transit Corporation Speedline. Advertisement The proposed metro route would have stretched west from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County eastward throughout Charles Center and ended at Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus off Interstate 895. In her rejection letter, Arnold said MDOT published an East-West Corridor Study in 2021 proposing similar bus and rail routes from Bayview through downtown Baltimore to Ellicott City that will be presented to the public in the coming months. Rerouting the Northeast Corridor, owned and operated by CSX and Amtrak, would require the companies approval. Amtrak has not acknowledged AmeriStarRails proposal to create a crosstown tunnel in Baltimore. The company did not respond when asked whether it reviewed the Baltimore Grand Slam plan or would consider it. A spokesman for Mayor Brandon Scott said the office has not received substantive information about the plan and declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the Federal Railroad Administration said the agency was not involved in the proposal. 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. > Even if state and federal transportation officials supported the project, AmeriStarRail would face other realities, such as securing billions of dollars in public funding and managing private financing, all while trying to avoid overrun costs. Spencer provided few clear details on how the project would be financed, beyond saying the federal and state government would primarily foot the bill. He was also vague on specifics regarding the projects price tag, but estimated that boring such a wide tunnel for 10 miles would cost upward of $10 billion. Advertisement Transportation experts said its hard to judge the quality of a proposal without a cost-benefit analysis that AmeriStarRail has yet to present. The notion that [AmeriStarRail] would somehow magically generate so much revenue that they could take on a massive project like this, and handle all the equity and debt service payments, and somehow keep the Northeast Corridor going, and the federal government wouldnt have to put in all these billions of dollars in subsidies is just insanity, said Kevin DeGood, director of Infrastructure Policy at Center for American Progress. Arnold mentioned the significant capital investment needed for AmeriStarRails tunnel as one of the reasons for MDOTs lack of interest in the plan. Spencer said MDOT representatives have not discussed the proposal with him in person and that he hopes to meet with the agency to change its decision. This was so consequential, this decision about the future of Baltimore and its tunnels, we couldnt sit on the sidelines. We had to step in and say, Hey, there is a much better plan that will dramatically reduce traffic congestion, dramatically improve rail access to the heart of Baltimore, dramatically improve transit mobility for Baltimore, East-West, Spencer said. We couldnt let Baltimore miss this opportunity. These local events and fundraisers are scheduled to show support to Ukrainians. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Verizon could have saved itself and Michael and Mary Ellen Miller a lot of time by simply admitting to and rectifying a frontline workers mistake. How much time? Three hours, four minutes and 15 seconds, according to Michael, a skilled record-keeper. Michael said he and his wife decided to switch to Verizon in mid-October after determining its network covers a greater geographic area than their old provider. The couple, who make their home outside Portage, is retired and likes to travel. At the Verizon Wireless store in Baraboo, they learned that to switch theyd need to get new cellphones because their Samsung Galaxy S9s were not compatible with Verizons 5G network, Michael said, but the good news was that under a promotion the store (supposedly) had going, they could surrender their S9s, buy a couple of more recent Samsungs, and get an $800-per-phone credit on their Verizon bill for the trade-ins. The Millers took the deal, but about a month later, after not seeing the credits show up on their account, Mary Ellen called Verizon, which referred her back to the Baraboo store, which told them to come back in, which they did, which resulted in assurances that the mistake was in the process of being corrected and they were entitled to credits, Michael said. And yet ... Each month my wife calls and has been told that they are working on it and each month we hear nothing from Verizon, except for the monthly billing, Michael wrote to SOS on Feb. 21. She has spent multiple hours on hold in attempting to resolve this matter. SOS called that Baraboo store on Feb. 23 and spoke with manager Justine, who declined to provide her last name. Justine said shed not heard from the Millers but to have them give her a call. Michael said he did just that the next day, when Justine, in a sign of potential progress, said the store employee who had opened their account did the trade-in offer incorrectly and she was now opening another ticket with Verizon corporate. Meanwhile, Michael provided a log of the phone and in-person contacts theyd had with Verizon in their quest to obtain their promised credits. It showed 11 separate calls to the store or Verizon customer service and two round trips to the store, each lasting about 40 minutes, from October to February. Ninety minutes after Michael reported his call with Justine and the couples past contacts with Verizon, he emailed SOS to say that thanks to SOS pestering, I believe we have come to a resolution. It turns out it was the Verizon store employee that misunderstood the promo and placed us on a plan that didnt offer the $800 trade-in, Michael said. According to Justine, she has reached a deal with Verizon. They will honor the $800 trade-in on the first phone and $300 on the second phone. In addition the Verizon store will issue us a check for $500. Those credits began showing up on the Millers statement in late February, and the check came March 19, Michael said. Send us an SOS Since September 2007, SOS has helped save Wisconsin State Journal readers more than $193,491.72 and solved hundreds of problems. You can send an SOS using any of these methods: Email: sos@madison.com Online form: http://go.madison.com/sendSOS Phone: 608-252-6198 Mail: SOS, Wisconsin State Journal, P.O. Box 8058, Madison, WI 53708 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. An internal investigation into a Sun Prairie School Board member is complete, according to two board members, but the board intends to wait until after local elections next month to give its first public airing to the matter that began with a citizens complaint five months ago. School district resident and former board member John Welke filed a complaint with the district Oct. 25 asserting that current board member Alwyn Foster violated board policy and state law by failing to completely fulfill Welkes public records requests and refusing to communicate with constituents who dont share his views. He also says Foster might have violated a board policy governing conflicts of interest by renting out Cardinal Heights Upper Middle Schools auditorium for services for the church he co-leads, among other allegations. Welke points to board policy that appears to discourage the use of district facilities for making a profit. Fosters church, Life Church Dane County, is a nonprofit, but Welke said it could be considered the equivalent of a business if thats a main source of income. I just wanted them to take a closer look at it, Welke said of the rental agreement. He said he had not seen the districts report on the investigation. Foster, who did not respond to requests for comment from the Wisconsin State Journal, listed his job as a service facilitator with Anesis Family Therapy in a March 2021 State Journal candidates Q-and-A. Citing the ongoing investigation and attorney-client privilege, the school district has denied requests from the newspaper under the states public records law for documents related to the investigation and any agreement the district entered into with a third-party investigator, including most recently on Wednesday, which was when board members Dave Hoekstra and Caren Diedrich said that investigation had been completed but declined to comment on its details. We wanted to have it complete ... and a complete understanding of our options, Diedrich said. Everythings been decided and were going to move forward. The board has scheduled a meeting to discuss the investigation in open session on April 11, when Hoekstra said, you will have all the information. The board has met previously in closed session to discuss the matter. District voters go to the polls April 5 to elect three of seven board members. Foster will not be on the ballot his term ends in 2024 but board President Steve Schroeder will. Schroeder did not respond to requests for comment. 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. A veteran board chair facing child porn charges resigned from his post Monday amid repeated calls for his resignation from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers administration and Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Nicholson. Prosecutors in Milwaukee charged Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Board Chair Curtis Schmitt Jr. on Jan. 23 with three felony counts of possession of child pornography. Schmitt, whom Evers appointed in 2019 and the Senate unanimously approved, has pleaded not guilty. According to a criminal complaint, investigators discovered two photos and a video of child pornography had been uploaded to a Dropbox account associated with Schmitts email in December. Schmitt told police that he was addicted to adult pornography and sometimes received and downloaded child pornography. In a letter to Evers on Monday, Schmitt said, It has been an honor to serve on the Board of Veterans Affairs for the past three years. Please let this letter serve as my official resignation, according to a copy Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback provided to the Wisconsin State Journal. The day after Schmitt was charged in January, an attorney for Evers asked him to do that which is in the best interest of the Board of Veterans Affairs by immediately resigning your unpaid, part-time, citizen-appointment position. He didnt respond, Cudaback said. On Monday morning, Nicholson sent Evers a letter to jump-start the removal process after Schmitt ignored calls to resign. Nicholson laid blame on Evers for not removing Schmitt sooner. Because the Senate confirmed Schmitt, Evers could not simply rescind his appointment. Instead, a taxpayer Nicholson in this instance had to file a complaint to trigger a process through which Evers can remove Schmitt for inefficiency, neglect of duty, official misconduct or malfeasance in office. In his letter sent Monday, Nicholson said Evers dishonored the reputation of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs and displayed an incomprehensible lack of leadership by refusing to be more proactive in removing Schmitt. After Schmitts resignation, Nicholson said, Schmitt Jr. should have been removed from the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs months ago. Im glad that hes finally resigned, but it should have never come to this. A judge last month bound Schmitt over for trial. Hes due back in court Tuesday for a scheduling conference. The veterans board works with the WDVA secretary to shape benefit programs for Wisconsin veterans by adopting administrative rules. It also approves resolutions and recommendations from state veterans organizations. The nine members serve four-year terms with no pay. Nicholson is facing Republican gubernatorial candidates former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and Rep. Timothy Ramthun, R-Campbellsport, in a contest to oust Evers. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. Babylon Vault Company, in conjunction with Americas Warriors Care Package Project, announced the mobilization of a Stuff the Trailer care package drive to collect items to benefit active duty military personnel. The drive will run from Saturday, March 26 Sunday, May 1. The trailer is accessible for drop-offs 24 hours a day/7 days a week. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Carroll County Times) Babylon Vault Company, in conjunction with Americas Warriors Care Package Project, is hosting a Stuff the Trailer care package drive to collect items to benefit active-duty military personnel. Donated items should be dropped off at a trailer located at Babylon Vault Company, 925 Wakefield Valley Road near New Windsor at the corner of Maryland Route 31. It will be accessible for drop-offs 24 hours a day, seven days a week through May 1. Advertisement Babylon Vault Company has a long history of honoring veterans through dignified services and set-ups. This tradition was started by Graham Babylon, who founded the company in 1930. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who also lost his only brother during World War II. With the recent increase in deployments we wanted to find a way to support our active-duty military, said Donna Babylon, third generation owner of the locally owned company. We had tremendous response from the community with our Stuff the Trailer Food Drive we organized at the beginning of the COVID pandemic So the idea expanded to join forces with Marine mom Dawn Geigan, and have another Stuff the Trailer event. Advertisement Geigan, a Westminster resident, unknowingly started what would become known as Americas Warriors Care Package Project in 2017 from her living room when she sent one care package to her active-duty son. Carroll County Breaking News As it happens When big news breaks, be the first to know. > She quickly realized that receiving a care package from home was a huge morale booster. Learning that many soldiers were sleeping on the ground with rocks as pillows and often had no access to showers she sent more care packages. Eventually her friends and neighbors got involved. We are seeking very specific items, Babylon said. Snacks and products for basic needs are requested, but anything shipped has to sustain a long mailing period. Individual snack packs and travel size items are preferred for convenience and portability We are also requesting that uplifting handwritten notes are included. A complete list of requested items can be found at https://babylonvaultcompany.com/events/. Our troops all face unique challenges depending on their deployment, whether it be in the middle of the ocean or a remote location, Tammy Ray, Community Relations Manager at Babylon Vault Company, said. Imagine the feeling when a service member opens a box and finds much needed supplies and a handwritten note from someone they dont even know. As the trailer fills, Babylon Vault Company employees will collect and organize the donations. In early May, community volunteers are welcome to help assemble and pack the individual boxes. Packages will be shipped mid-May to be delivered by mid-July. We are fortunate to be part of such a caring community and are confident that we will easily reach our goal of shipping hundreds of care packages, said. For additional information contact Tammy Ray at 443-605-5461 or Tammy@BabylonVaultCompany.com Q: Where in the U.S. are the most weather warnings issued? A: Certain meteorological conditions may pose threats to life and property. Under these conditions, the National Weather Service (NWS) issues advisories, weather watches and weather warnings. A weather watch informs us that current atmospheric conditions are favorable for hazardous weather. When the hazardous weather will soon occur in an area, a warning is issued. Weather watches and warnings are issued for a wide variety of hazardous weather, including tornadoes, hurricanes, severe thunderstorms, winter storms, high wind speeds and flooding. The NWS issues weather watches and warnings under specific weather conditions. The term watch implies that you should be aware that a weather hazard may develop in your area. The term warning means the hazard is developing in your area. You should take immediate action in the event of a warning. Pinpointing the location of hazardous weather in advance is extremely difficult. For this reason, watches are usually issued for large geographic areas. There are 122 NWS forecast offices responsible for issuing forecasts and warnings for their area. Wisconsin has three NWS offices. Jonathan Erdman of the Weather Channel recently compiled over 300,000 NWS warnings issued in the U.S. over the latest 10-year period from 2012 through 2021. His data show that the Norman, Oklahoma, office issued the most with 9,103 warnings. Of those, 6,926 severe thunderstorm warnings were issued and 667 were for tornados. Jackson, Mississippi, ranked second with 7,639 warnings, including 816 tornado warnings and 1,240 flash flood warnings. In Wisconsin, the La Crosse office ranked 65th nationally, having issued 2,193 warnings during this 10-year period. Most were severe thunderstorm warnings (1,160), followed by flooding (563). There were 67 winter storm warnings and 9 blizzard warnings. The Milwaukee office ranked 79th, issuing 1,631 warnings. Of those, 904 were for severe thunderstorms and 85 for tornados. Milwaukee issued 485 flood warnings. The Green Bay office ranked 86th with 1,271 warnings. Steve Ackerman and Jonathan Martin, professors in the UW-Madison department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, are guests on WHA radio (970 AM) at 11:45 a.m. the last Monday of each month. Send them your questions at stevea@ssec.wisc.edu or jemarti1@wisc.edu. For the first time in two years, the Academy Awards are rolling out the red carpet at Los Angeles Dolby Theatre for what the film academy hopes will be a back-to-normal Oscars. Except for all the stuff thats changed. The telecast for the 94th Academy Awards will begin, as usual, at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC. But little else about how this years Oscars will get underway is traditional. An hour before the broadcast begins, attendees will assemble in the Dolby for the presentation of eight awards and acceptance speeches that will be edited into a broadcast that producer Will Packer has promised will be a tight three hours. Advertisement Its one of many shifts, both slight and tectonic, around this years ceremony. After two years of pandemic and a socially distanced 2021 edition with record-low ratings the Academy Awards will try to recapture their exalted place in pop culture with a revamped telecast thats expected to see a streaming service win best picture for the first time. It wont be easy. The film industry recovered significantly from the pandemic in 2021, but despite one of the biggest hits in years in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the rebound has been fitful. The global movie industry sold about half the tickets last year as it did two years ago, $21.3 billion in 2021 compared to $42.3 billion in 2019, according to the Motion Picture Association. Hollywood pushed more of its top films directly into homes than ever before; half of this years 10 best-picture nominees were streamed at or very near release. Even the film academy shifted entirely to a streaming platform for voters, rather than DVD screeners. Advertisement Then there are the challenges of commanding worldwide attention for a night of Hollywood self-congratulation after two years of pandemic and while Russias war ravages Ukraine. Packer has said the war in Ukraine will be respectfully acknowledged during the broadcast. Netflixs The Power of the Dog, Jane Campions gothic western, comes in with a leading 12 nominations and a good chance of snagging the top award. But all the momentum is with Sian Heders deaf family drama CODA, which, despite boasting just three nods, is considered the favorite. A win would be a triumph for Apple TV+, which acquired the movie out of the Sundance Film Festival last year and has spent big promoting it to academy members. But expect the most awards on the night to go to Dune, Denis Villeneuves sweeping science fiction epic. Its the odds-on-favorite to clean up in the technical categories. After several years sans-host, the Oscars will turn to the trio of Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall to emcee the broadcast, which is also streaming on platforms including Hulu Live TV, YouTubeTV and on ABC.com with provider authentication. Producers have also lined up a star-studded group of performers including Billie Eilish and Beyonce to sing nominated songs, while the Encanto cast will perform Lin-Manuel Mirandas breakout hit We Dont Talk About Bruno. It will be a staggered start, with stars making their way into the Dolby at different times. ABCs red carpet preshow will run 6:30 to 8 p.m., with the first hour of awards happening inside the theater between 7-8 p.m. News of those winners will spread first on social media and later be woven into the telecast. To accommodate the shift, the red carpet will also open an hour earlier than usual, at 4 p.m. Eastern. 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. > The rejiggered approach, which has been deeply unpopular with some academy members, should make for some complicated red-carpet logistics. The academy, wanted to give each winner an uncompromised moment, is urging attendees to be in their seats by 7 p.m. Some stars, like The Eyes of Tammy Faye nominee Jessica Chastain, have said they wont do red carpet interviews if it means missing the presentation of awards like best hair and makeup, for which the artists of Tammy Faye are nominated. Thats one of the eight pre-show categories to be handed out during what producers are calling the golden hour. The others are: film editing, sound, original score, production design, live-action short, animated short and documentary short. Earlier this month, more than 70 Oscar winners, including James Cameron, Kathleen Kennedy and Guillermo del Toro, warned that the change would turn some nominees into second-class citizens. Advertisement Behind the change is alarm over the Oscars fast-falling ratings. While drops have been common to all major network award shows, last years show attracted only about 10 million viewers, less than half of the 23.6 million the year before. A decade ago, it was closer to 40 million. To help restore the Oscars position, some argued in the lead-up to this years awards that a blockbuster like Spider-Man: No Way Home should have been nominated for best picture. Its up for just visual effects. Instead, a wide gamut of films are in the hunt, ranging from the much-watched Netflix apocalyptic comedy Dont Look Up and the roundly acclaimed three-hour Japanese drama Drive My Car. One thing producers have promised: the nights final award will be best picture. Last years show concluded awkwardly with the unexpected presentation of best actor to a not-present Anthony Hopkins. A Ukrainian soldier holds the photograph of 47-year-old soldier Roman Valkov, during his funeral ceremony, after being killed in action, at the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul Church in Lviv, western Ukraine, March 28, 2022. (Nariman El-Mofty/AP) LVIV, Ukraine Ukrainian forces claimed to have retaken a Kyiv suburb and an eastern town from the Russians in what is becoming a back-and-forth stalemate on the ground, while negotiators began assembling for another round of talks Tuesday aimed at stopping the fighting. Ahead of the talks, to be held in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country is prepared to declare its neutrality, as Moscow has demanded, and is open to compromise on the fate of the Donbas, the contested region in the countrys east. Advertisement The mayor of Irpin, a northwestern Kyiv suburb that has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting near the capital, said Monday that the city has been liberated from Russian troops. Irpin gained wide attention after photos circulated of a mother and her two children who were killed by shelling as they tried to flee, their bodies lying on the pavement with luggage and a pet carrier nearby. Advertisement And a senior U.S. defense official said the U.S. believes the Ukrainians have retaken the town of Trostyanets, south of Sumy, in the east. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. intelligence assessments, said Russian forces largely remained in defensive positions near the capital, Kyiv, and were making little forward progress elsewhere in the country. The official said Russia appeared to be de-emphasizing ground operations near Kyiv and concentrating more on the Donbas, the predominantly Russian-speaking region where Moscow-backed rebels have been waging a separatist war for the past eight years. Late last week, with its forces bogged down in parts of the country, Russia seemed to scale back its war aims, saying its main goal was gaining control of the Donbas. While that suggested a possible face-saving exit strategy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, it also raised Ukrainian fears that the Kremlin intends to split the country in two and force it to surrender a swath of its territory. Meanwhile, a cyberattack knocked Ukraines national telecommunications provider Ukrtelecom almost completely offline. The chief of Ukraines state service for special communication, Yurii Shchyhol, blamed the enemy without specifically naming Russia and said most customers were cut off from telephone, internet and mobile service so that coverage could continue for Ukraines military. Also Monday, an oil depot in western Ukraines Rivne region was hit by a missile attack, the governor said. It was the second attack on oil facilities in the region near the Polish border. In recent days, Ukrainian troops have pushed the Russians back in other sectors. Advertisement In the city of Makariv, near a strategic highway west of the capital, Associated Press reporters saw the carcass of a Russian rocket launcher, a burned Russian truck, the body of a Russian soldier and a destroyed Ukrainian tank after fighting there a few days ago. In the nearby village of Yasnohorodka, the AP witnessed positions abandoned by Ukrainian soldiers who had moved farther west, but no sign of Russian troops. And on Friday, the U.S. defense official said the Russians were no longer in full control of Kherson, the first major city to fall to Moscows forces. The Kremlin denied it had lost full control of the southern city. Russia has long demanded that Ukraine drop any hope of joining NATO, which Moscow sees as a threat. Zelenskyy, for his part, has stressed that Ukraine needs security guarantees of its own as part of any deal. Over the weekend, Zelenskyy said he is ready to agree to neutrality. He also said that Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt, while suggesting at the same time that compromise might be possible over the complex issue of Donbas. The Ukrainian leader has suggested as much before but rarely commented so extensively. That could create momentum for the talks, for which the Russian delegates arrived in Istanbul on Monday, Turkish media reported. Still, it was not clear how a compromise on the Donbas would square with maintaining Ukraines territorial integrity. Advertisement In other developments: President Joe Biden made no apologies for calling for Putins ouster, saying he was expressing his moral outrage, not a new U.S. policy. Over the weekend, Biden said, For Gods sake, this man cannot remain in power. On Monday, the president said: Im not walking anything back. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he has launched an effort to achieve a humanitarian cease-fire that would allow aid to be brought in and people to move around safely. Russias invasion has most Americans at least somewhat worried that the U.S. will be drawn directly into the conflict and could be targeted with nuclear weapons, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The Group of Seven major economies rejected a Kremlin demand that some countries pay in rubles for Russias natural gas. That demand appeared designed to support the Russian currency, which is under pressure from Western sanctions. Earlier talks, both by video and in person, have failed to make progress on ending the more than month-old war that has killed thousands and driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes. That includes almost 4 million who have fled the country. Advertisement 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. > In the besieged southern port of Mariupol, the mayor said half the pre-war population of more than 400,000 has fled, often under fire, during weeks of shooting and shelling. Alina Beskrovna, who escaped the city in a convoy of cars and made it to Poland, said desperate people are melting snow for water and cooking on open fires despite the risk of bombardment, because if you dont, you will have nothing to eat. A lot of people are just, I think, starving to death in their apartments right now with no help, she said. Its a mass murder thats happening at the hands of the Russians. Putins ground forces have become bogged down because of stronger-than-expected Ukrainian resistance, combined with what Western officials say are Russian tactical missteps, poor morale, shortages of food, fuel and cold weather gear, and other problems. Moscow has resorted to pummeling Ukrainian cities with artillery and airstrikes. In Stoyanka village near Kyiv, Ukrainian soldier Serhiy Udod said Russian troops had taken up defensive positions and suffered heavy losses. The Russians probably thought it would be like Crimea, which the Kremlin annexed in 2014. But here its not like in Crimea. We are not happy to see them. Here they suffer and get killed. Advertisement Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Nebi Qena in Kyiv, Cara Anna in Lviv and Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report. Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan shows a copy of the redrawn congressional map approved by the General Assembly, right, that is crossed out in red, during a news conference where he announced his veto of the plan, on Dec. 9, 2021. Maryland Judge Lynne Battaglia ruled Friday, March 25, 2022, that the states new congressional map is unconstitutional, preventing the map from taking effect.. (AP Photo/Brian Witte, File) (Brian Witte/AP) For those who pay scant attention to the complexities of congressional redistricting in Maryland and thats surely most of us heres a quick summary of recent goings on to explain why those who follow it closely are in something of a tizzy right now. Thanks to a surprise Friday ruling by a Maryland judge, who struck down the states latest congressional map as extreme partisan gerrymandering, lawmakers in Annapolis are proposing an alternative they hope will pass muster. Should this version be judged acceptable, Republican candidates stand to benefit, chiefly by reinforcing a hefty GOP majority in the 1st District, while siphoning off enough Montgomery County residents to turn Western Marylands 6th District into more of a toss-up between the political parties. Thus, Marylands House delegation could potentially double its Republican representation should U.S. Rep. Andy Harris be reelected in the 1st and a Republican candidate, most likely Del. Neil Parrott, unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. David Trone in the 6th (after failing to do so two years ago). Advertisement The net effect? Instead of a 7-1 Democratic majority with the possibility of an 8-0 imbalance, it may now be a 7-1 Democratic majority with the possibility of a 6-2 imbalance. On its face, thats not exactly earth-shaking. And while its easy to condemn gerrymandering the practice of manipulating district boundaries to favor one political party or the other, Democrats in Maryland, say, or or Republicans in red states like Louisiana or Kentucky how this problem is addressed makes a difference. Advertisement Retired Maryland Judge Lynne A. Battaglias Friday ruling caught many by surprise because it turns on a groundbreaking interpretation of the state constitution. Applying standards previously imposed only on state legislative districts, she ruled the states congressional map was motivated primarily by partisanship. That might well be true, but its also a long-standing custom in the give-and-take of partisan politics. And thats a view reinforced by the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts, who has called gerrymandering a political question beyond the reach of the federal courts. Granted, Maryland should have voluntarily set limits on gerrymandering long ago, but it ought not be up to a new interpretation of existing law by a single jurist. Even so, Democrats quickly understood the chances of winning an appeal of Judge Battaglias ruling was doubtful given how the states highest court is now stacked with Republican Gov. Larry Hogans appointees and headed by his former chief legislative officer, Joseph M. Getty. Thus, with the clock ticking on the 2022 primary election, their only workable option was to go back to the drawing board to try to make it less partisan, while maintaining other worthy goals like minority representation and maintaining Baltimores double-district political clout through both the 7th and 2nd. Heres the most troubling what-if on the table, however: Should Republicans this fall capture the U.S. House of Representatives by a slim majority that has been made possible by perfectly legal gerrymandering in red states along with a lack of gerrymandering in blue states like Maryland, the consequences of this manipulation will seem far worse. Think of it like the Sharks and the Jets of West Side Story except one gang was allowed guns and knives, and the other could only use their fists. Will the gang with the advantage voluntarily lay down their weapons? Should they? Had Maryland lawmakers or voters agreed to these conditions thats one thing, but this stems from the actions of a single, former Maryland Court of Appeals judge willing to ignore precedent. Small wonder that Maryland Republicans are delighted with the win, as modest as it may prove to be on the state level, given its potential consequence on Capitol Hill. Governor Hogan called it a monumental victory for every Marylander who cares about protecting our democracy. But it was Del. Kathy Szeliga, the House minority whip and a plaintiff in the gerrymandering lawsuit that precipitated the ruling, who offered the most memorable words for the occasion. In a public tweet that has since been deleted, she called the legislatures Democratic leaders bitches for criticizing the judicial ruling, later explaining that her post was merely intended as a private message to a friend. The day we see Delegate Szeliga demonstrate such passion about gerrymandering by Republicans in states like Texas perhaps we will be more inclined to believe this latest effort was truly intended to protect democracy and not simply disarm political opponents before the congressional rumble in November. Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom. For seven years Ive served as mayor of Salisbury my hometown a fast-growing, young and diverse city of 35,000 people, anchoring the Salisbury Metropolitan Area of 428,000 on the Delmarva Peninsula. In May 2021, I returned from a year-long deployment to East Africa. The call from Uncle Sam meant that I had to leave my city at a most critical time. I came home to numerous challenges. Some of them I anticipated: economic recovery, public health protection, racial justice and criminal justice reform. Others were a surprise. Our geography, forces of the pandemic, migration patterns and the national housing shortage have forced us into a new crisis: a housing crisis. Right now, there is a newly recruited doctor at TidalHealth hospital in downtown Salisbury, with a competitive salary, signing the mortgage paperwork for her new home in Southern Delaware, because after months of searching, no house came available in Salisbury. Right now, there is a couple with three children living in East Salisbury, paying $1,850 per month to rent their small house a rate that has risen steadily, year after year. Their wages havent risen to match, despite working two jobs each. They struggle to make rent and keep creditors off their backs. Right now, there is a mom staying at our HALO Homeless Shelter with her 11-year old daughter, on the citys waiting list for housing. Advertisement This crisis is multifaceted. Certainly, there is a supply problem; demand is high, and we have not nearly enough housing units. Affordability is the victim, with rents and home prices surging, putting both out of reach for many. The consequence, with sunsetting protections that kept families in their homes, is that more of our residents are losing the roof over their head. We had to act. Six months ago, I announced a Here is Home comprehensive program to turn the situation around. The package, unanimously adopted by our City Council, presses on three levers: housing supply, affordability and homelessness. Our tool to kick-start new housing supply is a Permit Fee Moratorium. Yes, governments love their revenue, but what we once considered sacred must be placed on the table if we are truly in crisis. For a 90-day period, we accepted new housing development submissions, waiving all water/sewer connection, building, annexation and other fees. The signed agreements require upfront fee payment, all of which will be returned as developers meet program timelines, leading to occupied housing by October 2025. Advertisement I cannot tell you what I expected, but what we received shocked us all. Within 90 days, our city of 15,000 housing units, received applications to build 8,049 more homes, apartments, assisted living units and townhomes. That will represent a 60% increase in homes and population. Our total residential assessable base is $800 Million. The submitted construction applications represents another $1.4 billion in housing. Thats a 175% increase in residential real estate value and a possible 67% increase in our total assessable base. To address affordability, we established a guaranteed minimum Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) for all affordable housing and waived all property taxes for the land held by Habitat for Humanity and similar organizations. The reaction was immediate. Habitat subsequently purchased new lots and started construction on new homes, including 313 Barclay Street, just last week. Exciting as this is, our fundamental obligation is to the safety and humanity of our citizens with the greatest need. In 2017 we began permanently housing our chronically homeless. We have since housed 33 of Wicomico Countys estimated 100 chronically homeless persons. But many more remain on the street, waiting for us to expand vouchers or find other housing for them. As a result, we are building the Anne Street Village a village of 24 transitional housing units for our chronically homeless neighbors who we are working to get into permanent housing. They will be offered jobs through our Way to Work jobs program and provided intensive case management by social workers. My hope is that our program not only alters the course of Salisburys housing crisis, but that it offers a template that other Maryland communities can adapt to suit their conditions. In the coming year, Marylands leaders must determine what they are willing to do to relieve the housing shortage, affordability crisis and homelessness crisis that we are experiencing from the Eastern Shore to Baltimore to Western Maryland. Time will tell if our crisis is indeed solved, but I am certain our response will provide some much-needed relief and ultimately help more people say of Salisbury that Here is Home. Jake Day (jday@salisbury.md) is mayor of Salisbury and president of the Maryland Municipal League. An electric school bus, leased by Beverly Public Schools in Beverly, Massachusetts, rests in a bus yard, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. The district is planning to convert half its 44-bus fleet to electric by 2025 and the rest by 2030. Their transition is part of a trend in districts across the country to shift from diesel to electric school buses to improve air quality and combat climate change. (AP Photo/Michael Casey) (Michael Casey/AP) Our elected officials in the Maryland General Assembly can take a simple step during this session to protect our planet and students like myself who currently ride diesel buses to school every day. Diesel school buses emit a multitude of pollutants that are carcinogenic, cause respiratory illnesses and aggravate asthma. Thus, a child riding inside of a diesel school bus is exposed to as much as 15 times more pollutants than one not riding in a diesel bus. My county, Howard along with Montgomery, Frederick and Prince Georges has made a commitment to electric school buses. The principal condition for effective change, however, is collective action, which is accomplished by the Electric School Bus Pilot Program. This bill, sponsored by Del. David Fraser-Hidalgo and Sen. Ben Kramer, would help expand the benefits of electric buses to school districts across Maryland, effectively reducing our carbon footprint and safeguarding students health. Advertisement As a student at Centennial High School and a climate advocate, I care deeply not only about ensuring safe and reliable transit for students, but also about implementing climate-friendly technologies. The General Assembly should support this bill because transitioning Marylands school bus fleets to clean, zero-emission electric school buses is a win for the environment and for our students. Maya Santhanam, Ellicott City Advertisement Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter. A Maryland judge tossed out a map of the states congressional districts Friday and ordered legislators to draw a new one after ruling the map was subject to extreme partisan gerrymandering. The decision by Lynne A. Battaglia, a retired state appeals court judge presiding over a lawsuit against the congressional map, could cause significant changes in the upcoming primary and general elections, as well as the future of Marylands district boundaries. Advertisement The clock is ticking. State legislators have until March 30 to develop and submit a new map. Lets break it down: Advertisement Why are congressional maps being redrawn? Every 10 years, states are constitutionally required to redraw congressional and legislative district lines to align with an updated population count recorded by the United States census, a practice called redistricting. Thats because the number of federal representatives a state has in the U.S. House of Representatives is based on population. Because state legislatures in Maryland and other states are responsible for drawing the maps, this process can be used as an opportunity for the majority political party to skew district lines to favor candidates from the party in power known as partisan gerrymandering. Gerrymandering commonly involves stacking large numbers of the opposite partys voters into a limited number of districts, leaving that party with too few voters to compete elsewhere. Gerrymandering is not illegal under the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 2019. But the practice is still the subject of lawsuits. And state courts can decide if maps are drawn to benefit one political party, which is illegal in Maryland under the state constitution. Who sued and why? For years, Maryland Republicans, whose registered voters are outnumbered 2:1 by Democrats, have criticized the states congressional districts as some of the most gerrymandered in the nation. In December, two Republican organizations filed separate lawsuits challenging the maps as a violation of the states constitution. Battaglia considered the lawsuits together. Fair Maps Maryland, an anti-gerrymandering advocacy group tied to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, filed one, and Judicial Watch, a national conservative activist group, filed the second on behalf of 10 Republican voters in the state, including Republican congressional candidates state Del. Neil Parrott and Jeff Werner. Democrats currently hold supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature and a 7-1 advantage over the GOP in the states eight U.S. House seats. Marylands lone Republican congressman, U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, represents the 1st Congressional District, which includes the Eastern Shore and a portion of Baltimore County. The congressional map Battaglia rejected made District 1 into a potential swing district thats more competitive for a Democratic challenger by drawing it into Democratic areas of Anne Arundel County. Advertisement Battaglia ruled Friday the map went too far and was drawn clearly for partisan gain to the detriment of Republican voters. Maryland Policy & Politics Weekdays Keep up to date with Maryland politics, elections and important decisions made by federal, state and local government officials. > The 2021 Congressional Plan is unconstitutional, and subverts that will of those governed, Battaglia wrote in her opinion. Battaglia is also a former assistant U.S. attorney who was once chief of staff of former Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski. What happens now? State legislators have until March 30 to develop a new congressional plan that abides by the state constitution. Its too soon to know what the map might look like. Marylands Chief Judge Joseph Getty already delayed the primary election from June 28 to July 19 in Maryland because of the numerous map challenges. Battaglias ruling can also be appealed. Democratic State Attorney General Brian Frosh, whose office would file the appeal, has not decided whether to appeal to the Maryland Court of Appeals, a spokeswoman for his office said. Advertisement If the case is appealed to the states highest court, the likelihood Battaglias ruling would be overturned could be in jeopardy because all but one judge has been appointed by Hogan, a Republican. Baltimore Sun reporters Jeff Barker and Emily Opilo contributed to this report.